LIBRARY 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

SANTA  BARBARA 

PRESENTED  BY 

Glen   G.    Mosher 


GLEN     6.     M  OS  HER 


USEFUL  REFERENCE  SERIES  No.  7 


How  to  Plan  a 
Library  Building 
for  Library  Work 


Prelude 

Every  public  building  should  express,  with  dignity 
Its  individual  type,  use,  place,  and  era. 

A  library  is  a  prominent  public  building 

As  practical  and  technical  as  a  schoolhouse ; 

A  workshop  for  the  future,  not  a  relic  of  the  past. 

Seldom  rich  enough  for  its  needs,  it  abhors  waste. 

Change  and  growth  will  soon  supplant  it. 

Build  it  for  use,  not  show;  for  now,  not  for  ever: — 

Tastefully,  tactfully,  thriftily,  thoroughly. 

To  plan  it,  find  an  able  librarian, 
To  construct  it,  get  a  skillful  architect, 
To  control  both,  choose  a  wise  committee. 
These  three,  by  patient  study  and  debate, 
Can  satisfy  taste  without  sacrificing  use — 
Achieving  complete  and  felicitous  success. 


HOW  TO  PLAN 

A  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

FOR  LIBRARY  WORK 


By  CHARLES  C.  SOULE 

A.B.  Harv.  1862 


taSy    Utilitas,    Venus  tas 

— VITRUVIUS  DE  ARCHITECTURA 


BOSTON 

THE  BOSTON  BOOK  COMPANY 
1912 


COPYRIGHT,  1912 
BY  CHARLES  C.  SOULE 


The  Rherdale  Press,  Brookline,  Boston,  Mass. 


LIBRARY 

tMVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SANTA  BARBARA 


is  the  IliUrarian'g  licst  frimD 
hjf)en  tl)ep  plan  together 
a  £"oun&.  useful  and  beautiful  tntilDnig 
tolume  i 


EDITORIAL  PREFACE 


Of  the  author  of  this  volume  it  was  said  by 
President  Hill  at  the  1906  A.  L.  A.  Conference, 
"he  has  given  the  subject  of  Library  Archi- 
tecture more  thought  and  attention,  probably, 
than  any  other  member." 

Mr.  Soule  is  well  known  to  older  librarians. 
To  introduce  him  to  a  younger  generation  and 
to  architects,  we  would  say  that  although  he  is 
a  publisher  and  bookseller,  and  not  professionally 
a  librarian,  he  has  had  an  effective  training  in 
library  science.  He  joined  the  American  Library 
Association  in  1879,  became  at  once  a  working 
member,  has  attended  twenty  Conferences,  and 
has  been  elected  to  office,  as  follows: 

1888-1899  — Trustee  of  the  Brookline 
(Mass.)  Public  Library. 

1890-1908 --  Publishing  Board,  A.  L.  A. 

1890  --Vice-president. 

1893-1896,  1900-1905  —  Member  of  the 
Council. 

1894-1906  --  Trustee  Endowment  Fund. 

1906-1912  —  Member  of  the  Institute. 

In  1890,  when  a  prominent  trustee  had  been 
quoted  as  saying,  "it  was  no  use  consulting 
librarians  about  building,  for  no  two  of  them 


viii  EDITORIAL  PREFACE 

agree  on  any  one  point,"  he  wrote,  and  the  1890 
Conference  unanimously  adopted,  "Points  of 
Agreement  among  Librarians  on  Library  Archi- 
tecture." 

In  1892  he  published  in  the  Boston  press  an 
exhaustive  series  of  nine  letters,  taking  the  side 
of  the  librarians  of  the  country  against  what 
they  thought  to  be  radical  errors  in  the  manage- 
ment and  building  of  the  Boston  Public  Library. 

In  1901  he  wrote  the  article  "Library,"  for 
Sturgis's  Dictionary  of  Architecture. 

In  1902  he  wrote  the  A.  L.  A.  tract  on 
"Library  Rooms  and  Buildings." 

For  forty  active  years  in  business  as  a  book- 
seller, he  has  handled  and  issued  books. 

For  over  thirty  years  of  membership  in  the 
A.  L.  A.  he  has  been  intimate  with  leading 
librarians. 

In  the  Boston  controversy,  he  felt  obliged 
to  investigate  thoroughly  every  point  he  criti- 
cized on  behalf  of  the  librarians. 

When  elected  as  a  trustee  in  Brookline  he 
found  a  very  conservative  board  at  the  time  the 
new  developments  of  library  progress  were 
slowly  gaining  ground,  and  had  to  go  to  the  bot- 
tom of  every  new  method  before  the  board 
could  be  persuaded  to  try  it. 

During  the  last  five  years  Mr.  Soule  has  fre- 
quently been  called  on  as  an  expert,  and  has 
been  through  all  the  detail  of  building  problems 
of  several  different  grades. 


EDITORIAL  PREFACE  ix 

All  this  educated  him  in  such  a  school  of  ex- 
perience that  Mr.  Dewey  thus  spoke  of  him  at 
one  of  the  A.  L.  A.  Conferences:  "When  people 
ask  who  are  the  most  active  and  efficient  libra- 
rians in  America  we  are  almost  sure  to  name  two 
or  three  men  who  are  not  librarians  at  all;  for 
instance,  R.  R.  Bowker  and  C.  C.  Soule." 

After  such  experience,  we  can  commend  what 
the  author  has  to  say,  to  respectful  attention. 

Illustrations  have  been  suggested,  but  have 
not  been  included  in  this  volume  lest  they  should 
increase  the  bulk  and  price  too  much.  If  they 
are  asked  for,  we  will  issue  a  separate  volume 
of  illustrative  plates. 

FREDERICK  W.  FAXON, 

Editor  Useful  Reference  Series. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 


On  being  asked  to  write  on  "Library  Archi- 
tecture" for  this  series  I  hesitated,  knowing 
little  about  the  subject  except  as  applied  to  the 
insides  of  libraries.  But  on  this  limited  branch 
I  have  had  some  experience  which  I  am  willing 
to  embody  under  the  narrower  title  finally 
chosen,  for  the  benefit  of  librarians,  architects, 
and  building  committees.  I  even  venture  to 
hope  some  chapters  may  get  to  the  notice  of 
trustees,  donors,  and  other  citizens  interested 
in  libraries. 

The  themes  of  this  volume  are: 

Preeminence  of  utility  over  display. 
The  practical  nature  of  library  work. 
The  importance  and  variety  of  its  details. 
Their  differentiation  from  other    kinds  of 

work. 
The  vital  need  of  consulting  library  experts. 

The  treatment  adopted  is,  to  cover  every 
point  and  touch  on  every  detail  involved  in 
building  a  large  library  of  any  class.  I  hope 
that  readers  interested  in  lesser  libraries,  even 
those  of  small  grades,  may  be  able  to  pick  out 
hints  to  help  them,  or  at  least  to  look  ahead 
to  growth  and  larger  problems  yet  to  come. 


xii  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

I  have  not  undertaken  to  discuss  methods  of 
library  work,  and  only  allude  to  them  so  far 
as  they  affect  construction.  Nor  have  I  under- 
taken to  recommend  specific  makes  of  furni- 
ture or  fittings,  although  I  have  felt  free  in  a 
few  instances  to  suggest  principles  which  should 
govern  selection. 

I  have  not  trusted  entirely  to  experience  or  to 
advice  received  from  librarians  and  architects; 
but  wishing  to  treat  thoroughly  so  momentous 
a  subject,  I  have  spent  six  months  in  search 
through  all  authorities  in  England  as  well  as 
in  America,  including  back  volumes  of  the  lib- 
brary  periodicals.  I  did  not  expect  to  get  much 
help  from  England,  where  methods  differ  from 
ours,  but  I  find  the  transatlantic  writers  are 
so  thoroughly  in  accord  with  us  as  to  the  need 
of  expert  advice  in  planning,  that  I  have  cited 
their  views  copiously. 

To  all  these  sources,  and  to  countless  friends, 
I  am  so  indebted  for  suggestions  and  advice 
that  I  look  on  myself  as  an  editor  of  professional 
opinion,  rather  than  as  an  original  author. 
But  I  assume  responsibility,  while  rendering 
sincere  thanks  to  all  authorities  quoted  or  un- 
quoted. 

Within  the  limit  of  one  volume  it  has  been 
possible  only  to  sketch  principles  without  des- 
cribing details  under  every  subject  as  in  a 
manual.  I  have  been  asked  to  illustrate  this 
volume  with  views  and  plans,  but  the  publishers 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE  xiii 

find  that  this  would  double  its  size  and  price. 
They  have  therefore  decided  to  wait  and  test 
the  actual  demand  by  inquiry.  If  enough  pur- 
chasers wish  a  second  volume,  one  will  be  issued. 
For  my  general  principles  I  expect  endorse- 
ment from  all  librarians.  As  to  details,  I  do 
not  ask  so  much  for  endorsement  as  for  criti- 
cism —  not  mere  fault-finding,  but  helpful  con- 
structive criticism,  pointing  out  something  bet- 
ter than  is  herein  advocated.  If  interest  and 
discussion  are  stimulated,  and  library  science 
is  thereby  in  any  degree  advanced,  I  shall  feel 
that  my  work  has  not  been  wasted. 

CHARLES  C.  SOULE. 
BROOKLINE,  MASS. 


WORKS  CITED 


Abbreviation 

Adams,  Herbert  B.  Adams 

Public  Libraries  and  Popular  Ed- 
ucation.        Albany,  N.  Y.,  1900. 

Billings,  Dr.  John  S.  Billings 

On  Ventilation  and  Heating.  V.  &  H. 

New  York,  1893. 

Boston  School  Document  No.  14. 
See  Report  of  Oculists. 

Bostwick,  Arthur  E.  Bostw. 

The  American  Public  Library. 

New  York,  1910. 

Brochure  Series  of  Architectural  Illus-  Brochure, 

tration.     Vols.  1-9. 

Boston,  1895-1903. 

Brown.      See  Duff-Brown. 

Burgoyne,  F.  J.  Burg. 

Library  Construction,  etc. 

London,  1897. 
Champneys,  A.  I.  Champ. 

Public  Libraries.      London,  1907. 
Clark,  John  Willis.  Clark. 

Care  of  Books. 

Cambridge  (Eng.),  1901. 

Cotgreave,  Alfred.  Cotgr. 

Views,  etc.,  of  Public  Libraries. 

London,  1901. 

Cravath  &  Lansingh.  C.  &  L. 

Practical  Illumination. 

New  York,  1907. 


XVI 


WORKS  CITED 


Abbreviation 

Dana,  John  Cotton.  Dana, 

Library  Primer.       Chicago,  1910.  L.  Prim. 

Dana,  John  Cotton.  Dana, 

Library  Problems.  No  date.  L.  Prob. 

Duff-Brown,  James.  Duff-Brown 

Manual  of  Library  Economy.  or  D.B. 

London,  1907. 

Eastman,  William  R.  Eastfn. 

Library  Building  Plans. 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  1906. 

Edwards,  Edward.  Edw. 

Free  Town  Libraries. 

London,  1869 

Fletcher,  William  L.  Fletch. 

Public  Libraries  in  America. 

Boston,  1894 

Garnett,  Dr.  Richard.  Garnett. 

Essays  in  Librarianship,  etc. 

London,  1899. 

International  Library  Conference  Int.  Lib. 

(Second).  London,  1907.  Conf. 

Koch,  Theodore  W.  Koch. 

Portfolio  of  Carnegie  Libraries. 

Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  1907. 

Librarian  (The).  Libn. 

Vols.  1-2.  London,  1910-12. 

Library  (The).  Libr. 

I,  vols.  1-10;  II,  1-10;  III,  1-3. 
London,  1889-1912. 
Library  Assistant.  Lib.  Asst. 

Vols.  1-9.        London,  1898-1912. 

Library  Association  Record.  Lib.  Ass. 

Vols.  1-14.      London,  1899-1912.  Rec. 


WORKS  CITED 


xvn 


Abbreviation 

Library  Chronicle.  Lib.  Chron. 

Vols.  1-5.        London,  1884-1888. 
Library  Journal.  L.  J. 

Vols.  1-37.   NewYork,  1876-1912. 

Library  Notes.  Lib.  No. 

Vols.  1-4.         Boston,  1887-1898. 

Library  World.     14  vols. 

London,  1898-1912.  L.  W. 

Marvin,  Miss  Cornelia.  Marv. 

Small  Library  Buildings. 

Boston,  1908. 

Massachusetts    Free    Public   Library  Mass.  P.  L. 

Commission:  Ninth  Report.  1899. 

Boston,  1899. 
Public  Libraries.  P.  L. 

Vols.  1-17.      Chicago,  1896-1912. 

Public  Libraries  in  the  United  States.  P.  L.,  1876. 

Special    Report,    Superintendent 
of  Education.     Part  1. 

Washington,  1876. 

Report  of   Oculists  and   Electricians.  Bost.Sc. 

School  Board  Document,  No.  14.  Doc.  No.  14. 

Boston,  1907. 

Sturgis's   Dictionary  of  Architecture,  Sturgis. 

etc.  New  York,  1901. 


CONTENTS 


Page 

Book  A  —  Introduction   1 

EVOLUTION  OF  LIBRARY  BUILDING 3 

The  Dawn  of  History 3 

Ancient  History 4 

Mediaeval  History 6 

Modern  History    10 

Our  Own  Era    13 

Forecasting  the  Years    16 

The  Present 16 

The  Next  Quarter  Century 16 

Firmitas,   Utilitas,  Venustas 19 

Firmitas .  20 

Utilitas   21 

Venustas 22 

Is  There  an  Irrepressible  Conflict? 25 

Library  Science  27 

Architecture 29 

Where  does  the  Library  Come  in?  31 

What  Conflict  is  Possible? 32 

What  Contest  is  Likely?    34 

Where  Lies  the  Blame?    35 

Grades  and  Classes 36 

Small  Library  Buildings 38 

Minimum   . 38 

Small 42 

Moderate  and  Medium  Libraries 44 

Very  Large  Buildings 45 

CLASSES  OF  LIBRARIES 47 

Private  and  Club    47 

Proprietary,  Institutional    49 

Professional    ,  51 


xx  .  CONTENTS 

Page 

Scientific 51 

Medical 52 

Theological 52 

Special  and  Business 52 

Law 54 

Government  and  Historical 56 

National  56 

State 56 

Historical 58 

Antiquarian 59 

Educational 60 

School  60 

College    61 

University    61 

Public 65 

Central 65 

Branch 67 

Suburban   70 

Exceptional  Cases 71 

Middle  of  Blocks 71 

Top  Floors 71 

With  Museums  or  Art  Galleries 72 

Alterations  and  Enlargements    73 

Altering  New  Buildings  74 

Book  B  —  Principles 77 

Spirit  of  Planning 79 

Taste,  Tact,  Thrift,  Thoroughness 81 

Economy  Paramount  83 

Economy  of  Expert  Advice 87 

Problem  Always  New 89 

Plan  Inside  First 90 

Never  Copy  Blindly 92 

Study  other  Libraries 94 

The  Life  of  a  Library  Building 97 


CONTENTS  xxi 

Page 

The  Time  to  Build 99 

Size  and  Cost 102 

Cutting  down  Cost 104 

Open  Access 107 

Light,  Warmth,  Fresh  Air 108 

Faults  to  Look  For 109 

Frankness  among  Librarians 110 

Service  and  Supervision 112 

Decoration,  Ornament 114 

Architectural  Styles   117 

Amateurs  Dangerous   120 

Dryrot  Deadening 121 

Book  C  —  Personnel  123 

The  Public  125 

Place  of  the  Library  Among  Buildings.  .  .  : 128 

The  Donor 130 

The  Institution 133 

The  Trustees 134 

The  Building  Committee 136 

Free  Advice 137 

The  Local  Librarian  as  an  Expert 141 

The  Library  Adviser 143 

Selecting  an  Architect    146 

A  Word  to  the  Architect 150 

Which  Should  Prevail? 152 

Architectural  Competitions 154 

Judges  of  Competition 158 

Order  of  Work 159 

Book  D  —  Features    163 

Site    165 

Provision  for  Growth   168 

Exterior    169 

Interior 169 

Limitations  .  170 


xxii  CONTENTS 

Page 

Approaches,  Entrances 172 

Halls  and  Passages  175 

Stairs 176 

Stories  and  Rooms    179 

Walls:  Ceilings:  Partitions 183 

Floors  and  Floor  Coverings 185 

Roofs:  Domes 187 

Alcoves:  Galleries 189 

Light ; 191 

Light,  Natural 193 

Windows 196 

Light,  Artificial 201 

Indirect  Lighting 205 

Heating  and  Ventilation    209 

Plumbing,  Drains,  Sewers 215 

Cleanliness 217 

Protection  from  Enemies 219 

Fireproof  Vaults   223 

Central  Spaces 224 

Lifts  and  Elevators 228 

Mechanical  Carriers 230 

Telephones  and  Tubes 232 

Book  E  —  Departments  and  Rooms . . .  233 

PART  I.  — ADMINISTRATION  ROOMS  ....  235 

Trustees   237 

Librarian 239 

Other  Staff  Quarters 241 

Public  Waiting    242 

Stenographers    ." 243 

Place  for  Catalog  Cases 244 

Cataloguing  Rooms    246 

Delivery 248 

Janitor    251 

Binding  and  Printing   253 

Branch  Service  256 


CONTENTS  xxiii 

Page 

Comfort    257 

Sanitary  Facilities 259 

Vehicles 260 

PART  II.  —  BOOK  STORAGE 261 

Shelving,  generally 262 

Shelves  in  Reading  Rooms    269 

Wall-shelving 271 

Floor  Cases    273 

Radial  Cases    274 

Shelf  Capacity  .  . 277 

The  Poole  Plan 278 

Stacks  generally    280 

The  Stack  Shell 283 

Use  of  Stack  by  Readers  284 

Carrels    286 

Stack  Details 288 

Stack  Lighting 292 

Stack  Windows 294 

True    294 

Defective    295 

False 295 

Stack  Heating  and  Ventilation 296 

Stacks  Up  and  Down 297 

Stack  Towers 297 

Stack  Capacity    298 

Sliding  Cases 299 

PART  III.  —  READERS'  ROOMS 305 

Reading  generally 305 

Serious  Reading 306 

Reference 310 

Light  Reading 313 

Half-hour  Reading    313 

Periodicals    314 

Newspapers   316 


xxiv  CONTENTS 

Page 

Children 318 

Women 320 

The  Blind 321 

Special  Rooms 322 

Local  Literature    323 

Study    324 

Classes    324 

Patents,  etc 326 

Public  Documents 327 

Duplicates    328 

Art:  Prints,  etc 329 

Maps 331 

Music 331 

Education 332 

Lectures   333 

Exhibitions 334 

Pamphlets    335 

Bound  Periodicals 335 

Collections 337 

Information 338 

Conversation 338 

Unassigned 339 

PART    IV.  —  FURNITURE  AND   EQUIPMENT  .  .  341 

Tables 344 

Chairs 346 

Delivery  Desks   348 

Catalog  Cases    350 

Bulletin  Boards 352 

Other  Fittings 354 

Book  F  —  Appendix 355 

Concrete  Examples 357 

N.  Y.  Public  Library.     Terms  of  Competition  ....   359 
Brooklyn.     Suggestions  to  Architect 367 

Index .  .  .393 


A. 

INTRODUCTION 


In  this  Book 

A  cursory  glance  through  history  fails  to 

throw  much  light  on  planning 

a  modern  library. 

The  motto  of  this  work  is  elucidated. 

The   possibility    of   differences    between 

librarian  and  architect 

is  discussed. 

And  brief  remarks   are   made   about 
grades  and  kinds  of  libraries. 


A. 
INTRODUCTION 


EVOLUTION  OF  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


[For  the  first  chapters  of  this  book,  I  am  largely  in- 
debted to  an  interesting  and  scholarly  volume  by  John 
Willis  Clark,  entitled  "The  Care  of  Books,"  published 
in  the  year  1901  at  Cambridge,  Eng.  I  am  emboldened 
to  quote  from  it  by  noting  how  much  later  books  and 
cyclopedias  rely  on  it  as  their  chief  authority,  and  I  com- 
mend to  all  readers  both  text  and  illustrations  of  this 
fascinating  work.] 

The  Dawn  of  History 

No  precedents  of  buildings  or  fixtures  loom  out  of  the 
farthest  past.  Archaeological  excavations  have  found 
relics  of  libraries  in  early  ruins,  libraries  of  baked  clay 
tablets,  evidently  once  housed  in  separate  rooms  on 
upper  stories  of  palaces  or  temples.  This  literature 
must  have  seemed  imperishable.  There  were  no  fading 
inks,  no  crumbling  paper,  no  danger  from  moisture 
or  worms.  But  an  older  foe,  still  threatening  libraries, 
lurked  in  that  brick  era  of  literature.  Fire,  both  wor- 
shiped and  feared,  was  finally  fatal.  Fire  following 
conquest  attacked  the  oldest  libraries  and  dropped  them 
in  shattered  fragments  into  prehistoric  cellars,  to  lie 
for  centuries  awaiting  exhumation.  But  even  as  now 
resurrected,  they  tell  no  tales  of  their  housing  or  shelving 
or  circulation.  It  would  seem  hopeless  to  grope  among 
these  shards  for  lessons  in  library  science.  And  yet 
Dr.  Richard  Garnett1  deduced  from  an  Assyrian  hexag- 
onal book  tablet  the  idea  of  hexagonal  bookcases  for 
the  British  Museum. 

1  Essays  in  Libr.   p.  280. 


LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Ancient  History 

In  the  early  days  of  Egypt,  Greece,  and  Rome,  libra- 
ries of  papyrus  and  parchment  rolls,  stored  on  shelves, 
in  pigeonholes  and  in  chests,  were  collected,  at  first  by 
sovereigns,  then  by  nobles,  then  by  scholars.  For  cen- 
turies they  occupied  rooms  in  palaces  and  in  temples. 
These  rooms  were  only  places  of  storage.  Other  rooms, 
or  oftener  colonnades,  served  for  reading.  The  distinc- 
tion between  book  rooms  and  reading  rooms  thus 
appeared  at  an  early  date. 

The  first  mention  of  a  separate  library  building  is 
made  in  Egypt  in  the  time  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  the 
third  century  B.C.  Two  centuries  before,  Pisistratus, 
in  Greece,  had  established  a  public  library,  whether  or 
no  in  a  house  of  its  own  is  not  noted.  About  40  B.C., 
Asinius  Pollio  seems  to  have  built  the  first  library  build- 
ing in  Rome.  Augustus  soon  built  two  more,  and  there- 
after public  libraries  and  private  library  rooms  abounded. 
In  the  fourth  century  A.D.  there  were  twenty-eight 
"public  libraries"  in  Rome.  Although  these  were  un- 
doubtedly, while  "public,"  used  mainly  by  scholars, 
having  few  of  the  functions  which  so  highly  diversify 
and  differentiate  modern  public  libraries,  their  buildings 
must  have  begun  to  assume  some  common  arrangement 
which  would  tend  to  constitute  a  type.  I  am  unable 
to  reproduce,  however,  any  clear  picture  of  the  architec- 
ture of  these  first  buildings. 

As  to  fixtures,  Mr.  Clark  sums  up  a  chapter:1  "Un- 
fortunately no  enthusiast  of  those  distant  times  has 
handed  down  to  us  a  complete  description  of  his  library, 

1  p.  47. 


INTRODUCTION  5 

and  we  are  obliged  to  take  a  detail  from  one  account, 
and  a  detail  from  another,  and  so  piece  the  picture 
together  for  ourselves.  What  I  may  call  the  pigeon- 
hole system,  suitable  for  rolls  only,  was  replaced  by 
presses  which  could  contain  rolls  if  required,  but  were 
especially  designed  for  codices  (the  first  phase  of  parch- 
ment, in  the  modern  book  form).  These  presses  were 
sometimes  plain,  sometimes  richly  ornamented.  The 
floor,  the  walls,  the  roof  were  also  decorated.  As  the 
books  were  hidden  in  the  presses,  the  library  note  was 
struck  by  numerous  inscriptions,  and  by  busts  and  por- 
traits of  authors." 

This  Roman  conception  of  a  library  prevailed  during 
the  dark  ages  and  has  survived  to  our  own  time  in  its 
most  sumptuous  form,  embodied  in  the  Vatican  library, 
whose  interior  has  so  often  been  represented  in  photo- 
graphs and  engravings. 

With  the  close  of  the  western  empire,  in  A.D.  476,  the 
ancient  era  of  libraries  may  be  said  also  to  close  without 
any  lessons  to  us  as  to  building. 


LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Mediaeval  History 

Thus  far  libraries  were  gathered  and  cared  for  by 
monarchs,  princes,  or  prominent  citizens.  With  the 
growth  of  Christianity  literature  fell  to  the  care  of  the 
ecclesiastics.  Their  earliest  collection,  of  which  record 
remains,  was  shelved  in  the  apse  of  a  church.  About 
A.D.  300,  monastic  communities  began  to  cherish  church 
literature.  Existing  records  all  indicate  that  cloisters 
were  the  first  Christian  libraries,  perhaps  because  all 
the  monks  could  assemble  there.  What  few  precious 
manuscript  volumes  the  laborious  brothers  had  fashioned, 
with  others  given  or  bought,  were  stored  on  shelves  or  in 
"presses"  on  the  inner  walls.  The  readers  either  took 
the  books  to  their  cells,  or  read  them  by  the  light  of  the 
windows  in  the  outer  wall.  There  were  the  reading 
room,  the  book  room,  and  the  lending  room,  all  in  one 
long,  well-lighted  cloister.  Later,  as  more  manuscripts 
accumulated,  they  were  stored  at  first  in  niches  in  the 
wall,  then  in  adjacent  closets  or  small  windowless  rooms. 
Readers  still  studied  by  the  best  light.  To  follow  Clark's 
quotation: l  "On  the  north  syde  of  the  Cloister  (at  Dur- 
ham) in  every  window  were  .  .  .  Pews  or  Carrels  where 
every  Monk  studyed  upon  his  books.  And  in  every 
Carrel  was  a  deske  to  lye  their  bookes  on." 

Elsewhere  it  is  explained  that  each  window  was  in 
three  parts,  with  a  carrel  from  one  stanchell  of  the 
window  to  another. 

This  use  of  windows  suggested  to  me  a  new  con- 
venience for  research  in  our  modern  "stack,"  which  is 
described  in  a  later  chapter  as  the  "stack  carrel."2 
1o.  21.  2  See  p.  286. 


INTRODUCTION  7 

The  growth  of  libraries  slowly  followed  the  develop- 
ment of  monastic  orders.  The  systematic  care  and  use 
of  books  began  with  the  precepts  of  S.  Benedict  in  the 
sixth  century,  followed  by  similar  rules  in  other  brother- 
hoods. At  the  same  time  secular  libraries  and  library 
buildings  were  devastated  by  the  barbarians,  while  the 
Arabs,  who  developed  large  libraries,  appeared  to  have 
housed  them  in  mosques,  so  that  library  building  science 
slumbered  through  the  Dark  Ages. 

In  the  sixth  and  seventh  centuries  learning  followed 
the  first  steps  of  Christianity  into  the  British  Isles. 
The  earliest  English  "library  movement"  began  in  the 
monasteries  of  Ireland  and  Great  Britain. 

From  that  era  onward,  libraries  all  over  Christianized 
Europe  grew  with  the  prosperity  of  religious  brother- 
hoods. Of  progress  toward  building,  however,  there  is 
little  record  until  the  Cistercians  moved  theirs  from  the 
cloisters  to  other  rooms  in  their  monasteries,  although 
some  use  of  cloisters  elsewhere  lingered  until  the  begin- 
ning of  the  seventeenth  century.  These  rooms  were  at 
first  directly  over  the  cloisters,  where  alcoves  first  ap- 
peared, on  the  window  side  only.  Still  later  libraries 
were  assigned  to  the  upper  stories  of  separate  build- 
ings, the  first  put  to  this  use  since  the  time  of  the  Caesars 
in  Rome. 

These  first  mediaeval  libraries,  of  which  several  pic- 
tures are  preserved,  send  to  us  the  precedent  of  ample 
and  aptly  applied  daylight  admitted  through  long  win- 
dows directly  into  each  alcove.  The  exteriors  remind 
us  of  our  stack  rooms.  This  arrangement  of  library 
rooms  passed  by  imitation  in  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth 
centuries  from  the  monasteries  to  the  colleges,  and  still 
survives  in  the  older  libraries  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge, 
—  for  instance,  Merton  College,  a  long,  narrow  room  with 
bookcases  between  the  windows,  at  right  angles  with 
the  walls,  forming  well-lighted  alcoves. 


8  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

All  of  the  earliest  library  rooms  were  long  and  narrow. 
Clark  has  preserved  the  measurements  of  several  thus: — 

A.D.  1289.  Zutphen  (Holland):  A  solid  building 
separated  from  others  (in  case  of  fire) :  120  feet  long, 
36  feet  broad:  19  uniform  windows  east  and  west, 
"that  plenty  of  daylight  might  fall  upon  the  desks  and 
fill  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  the  library." 

A.D.  1422.  The  Franciscan  House  in  London, 
"Christ's  Hospital"  (the  first  building  in  England  built 
expressly  for  a  library?)  founded  by  Sir  Richard  Whit- 
tington;  129  feet  long  by  31  feet  broad,  with  28  desks 
and  28  double  settles. 

A.D.  1508.  At  Canterbury:  the  library  over  the 
Prior's  Chapel  was  60  feet  long  by  20  feet  broad,  and 
had  16  bookcases,  each  4  shelves  high. 

A.D.  1517.  At  Clairvaux:  in  the  cloister  are  14 
studies,  where  the  monks  write  and  study,  and  over  it 
the  new  library,  189  feet  long  by  17  wide  (probably 
this  narrowness  followed  the  shape  of  the  cloister)  with 
48  benches,  "excellently  lighted  on  both  sides  by  large 
windows." 

It  will  be  noted  that  these  bookshelves  were  about 
four  feet  "on  centers,"  and  that  great  emphasis  was  laid 
on  ample  daylight. 

From  the  thirteenth  century  comes  this  warning  for 
us — "the  press  in  which  books  are  kept  ought  to  be 
lined  inside  with  wood  that  the  damp  of  the  walls  may 
not  moisten  or  stain  them,"  which  is  singularly  like  a 
caution  in  a  recent  American  manual  against  leaving 
unpainted  brick  walls  at  the  back  of  wall  cases. 

It  seems  singular  that  wall  shelving,  which  was  cer- 
tainly used  in  Assyrian  libraries  and  in  the  classical 
period,  disappears  in  the  monkish  era  and  yields  to 
"presses"  or  closed  bookcases;  to  appear  as  a  new  device 
in  the  library  of  the  Escorial  in  Spain  in  the  year  1583. 


INTRODUCTION  9 

Sir  Christopher  Wren  thought  so  much  of  this  feature 
that  he  followed  it  in  Trinity  College  (Cambridge) 
library  in  1695,  saying,  "The  disposition  of  the  shelves 
both  along  the  walls  and  breaking  out  from  the  walls 
must  prove  very  convenient  and  gracefull:  A  little 
square  table  in  each  cell  with  two  seats." 

The  fifteenth  century  had  been  a  library  era  through- 
out. In  the  sixteenth  came  the  Reformation,  which 
swept  away  "papistical"  libraries.  More  than  eight 
hundred  libraries  of  monastic  orders,  in  England  alone, 
were  dispersed  or  destroyed  by  this  iconoclastic  whirl- 
wind. In  1540  the  only  libraries  left  were  at  Oxford 
and  Cambridge  and  in  the  cathedrals.  But  at  the 
same  time,  the  invention  and  rapid  spread  of  printing 
had  superseded  the  slow  processes  of  making  manu- 
script books,  and  had  opened  a  new  life  for  libraries. 
The  first  library  built  under  these  new  conditions  was 
that  of  St.  John's  College,  which  brought  over  from  the 
monastic  and  early  college  era  the  alcove  arrangement. 

The  renaissance  of  wall  shelving  spread  rapidly. 
Compared  with  the  chaining  of  books  to  the  shelves, 
which  it  superseded,  it  was  an  open-access  reform. 
To  quote  Cardinal  Mazarin's  library  motto,  "Publice 
patere  voluit."  It  was  quickly  followed  in  France, 
but  more  slowly  in  England.  In  1610  this  form  of 
shelving  with  a  gallery  was  adopted  in  the  Bodleian 
Library  at  Oxford  (see  illustration  on  p.  275  of  Clark), 
the  progenitor  of  our  first  distinctive  American  library 
interiors,  now  discredited  and  almost  abandoned. 


10  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Modern  History 

From  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  to  the  middle 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  there  is  little  to  chronicle  in 
the  evolution  of  the  library  building.  What  libraries 
were  built  or  altered  followed  either  the  monastic- 
collegiate  alcove  style,  or  the  Escorial  -  Trinity  wall 
shelving  and  gallery,  or  both.  The  best  illustrations  of 
libraries  of  this  era  are  still  extant  at  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge. A  view  of  what  he  calls  the  oldest  example  of  the 
combination  of  high  wall  shelving  broken  by  a  gallery, 
with  the  older  fashion  of  alcoves,  as  they  still  exist  at 
the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford,  is  shown  by  Duff-Brown 
on  p.  2.  A  fine  specimen  may  be  seen  at  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  interesting  because  of  two  modern 
attempts  to  burst  the  confines  of  old  walls:  first,  as  shown 
in  the  traces  of  sliding  cases  long  antedating  those  of 
the  British  Museum;  second,  in  the  two-story  wooden 
stack  recently  installed  and  already  outgrown,  in  the 
cloisters  below  the  library,  which  were  originally  open 
but  were  glassed  in  to  protect  the  stack.  (See  illustra- 
tions, reproducing  photographs  taken  by  the  author.1) 

The  first  appearance  of  the  floor  case,  the  precedent 
of  the  modern  stack,  appears  in  the  library  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Leyden  in  1610,  of  which  a  large  illustration 
is  given  b.y  Clark2  and  a  smaller  one  by  Fletcher.3  Here 
is  seen  the  utilization  of  the  whole  floor  of  a  book  room 
through  parallel  cases  evidently  open  to  access,  although 
the  books  are  all  chained.  The  library  is  lofty  and  the 
shelves  lighted  not  directiy  from  stack-windows,  but 

1  p.  6,  No.  1,   Vol.  9,  Arch.  Rev.,  Boston,  Jan.  1902. 
2  p.  170.  3  p.  10. 


INTRODUCTION  11 

by  chapel  windows  high  in  the  wall,  which  appear  to 
fill  the  room  with  ample  diffused  light.  Some  of  the 
"broad-brims"  pacing  the  floor  may  have  been  our 
Pilgrim  ancestors,  who,  for  the  ten  years  subsequent  to  the 
date  of  this  picture,  were  living  at  Leyden  and  frequent- 
ing the  University. 

The  Radcliffe  Library  at  Oxford,  designed  in  1740, 
seems  to  be  the  earliest  example  in  England  of  a  cir- 
cular reading  room  lighted  from  the  roof.  This  is  said 
to  have  been  suggested  by  the  central  reading  room  of 
the  old  Wolfenbiittel  Library,  built  about  1710. 

"The  first  architect,"  says  Duff-Brown1  "to  plan  a 
library  which  in  any  way  meets  the  modern  require- 
ments of  giving  ample  accommodation  was  Leopoldo 
della  Santa,  who  in  1816  published  in  Florence  a 
quarto  pamphlet,  which  is  an  attempt  to  construct  a 
library  building  entirely  from  an  utilitarian  point  of 
view."  The  plan,  which  Brown  reproduces,  suggests 
Dr.  Poole's  plan  which  was  embodied  in  the  Newberry 
Library  of  Chicago. 

In  1835  Delassert  proposed  for  the  French  National 
Library  a  circular  plan  of  building,  which  perhaps 
suggested  the  present  reading  room  of  the  British 
Museum.  In  1885  Magnusson  proposed  an  unending 
whorl  as  a  good  form  for  a  growing  library.2 

While  English  libraries,  and  those  of  the  continent, 
were  developing  these  phases  of  old  types,  separate 
library  buildings  began  to  appear  in  America.  The 
first  one  actually  erected  for  library  occupation  still 
remains  in  use, — the  Redwood  Library  of  Newport,  R.  I., 
built  in  1750.  The  main  room  is  a  hall  37  x  26  feet, 
19  feet  high,  with  two  lean-to  rooms  at  the  sides.  A 
massive  portico  gives  an  impressive  front,  but  cannot 
be  said  to  found  a  distinctive  library  style. 

r.  Construction,  p.  4.      2  Burg.  133:    11  L.  J.  360. 


12  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Our  early  proprietary  associations  and  parochial  libra- 
ries were  stored  in  public  buildings,  or  in  buildings  with 
no  peculiar  features.  The  school  district  libraries  estab- 
lished by  the  state  of  New  York  in  1835,  and  similar 
libraries  founded  soon  after  in  other  states,  seem  to  have 
been  stored  in  schoolhouses,  though  intended  for  public 
use.  The  state  libraries,  first  established  as  early  as 
1773,  were  deposited  in  the  State  Houses.  The  Young 
Men's  libraries  of  the  early  period  were  kept  in  rented 
rooms,  or  at  best  in  rented  houses.  No  special  phase 
of  library  buildings  was  developed  until  about  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  when  colleges  began 
to  build.  Gore  Hall  at  Harvard  (1841)  was  modeled 
after  King's  College  Chapel  at  Cambridge,  Eng.,  and 
was  even  at  that  date  said  to  be  "ill  adapted  to  the 
purposes  of  a  library."  The  University  of  North  Caro- 
lina "erected"  in  1850  a  library  in  the  form  of  a  Greek 
temple,  with  hall  84x32  feet,  20  feet  high.  These 
essays  at  importing  styles  certainly  developed  no 
models  worth  imitation,  but  nevertheless  they  were 
imitated. 


INTRODUCTION  13 


Our  Own  Era 

Our  own  "library  age"  may  be  said  to  date  from  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  parliamentary 
investigations  which  led  to  the  first  English  library  act 
in  1850,  and  the  organization  of  the  Boston  Public 
Library  with  us  in  1852,  mark  the  beginning  of  the  modern 
library  movement.  I  will  not  try  to  trace  the  gradual 
evolution  of  library  buildings  abroad.  I  do  not  know 
enough  about  it  to  handle  the  subject  well.  I  find, 
however,  in  Edwards'  Free  Town  Libraries,1  London, 
1869,  a  prototype  of  our  own  "Points  of  Agreement 
among  Librarians  on  Library  Architecture."  But  as 
late  as  1907  an  English  architect  (Champneys2)  says 
that  "the  examples  of  what  a  library  building  should 
not  be  are  out  of  all  proportion  to  those  which  are 
worthy  to  be  followed." 

In  America,  building  developed  with  the  library 
movement,  at  first  getting  rather  ahead  of  it.  Indeed, 
there  were  few  experienced  librarians  to  direct  it,  and 
even  these  were  mainly  the  old  style  conservators  and 
bibliographers.  The  topic  of  building  does  not  appear 
in  the  discussions  of  the  library  conference  in  1853. 
The  architects  had  to  develop  a  precedent.  The  first 
distinctive  type  to  appear  was  adopted  in  the  Astor 
Library  in  New  York  (1853)  and  followed  in  the  Boston 
Public  Library  dedicated  in  1858.  The  exterior  of  the 
building  had  no  peculiar  features,  but  the  interior  was 
distinctly  a  type  to  be  outgrown.  The  main  room  was 
a  lofty  hall,  surrounded  by  galleried  alcoves  reaching 
to  the  ceiling,  storing  the  books,  while  the  readers 
1  p.  40.  2  p.  l. 


14  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

occupied  the  floor,  into  the  middle  of  which  the  main 
stairway  arose  among  the  tables.  This  impressive  but 
wasteful  interior  was  copied  in  large  cities  throughout 
the  country,  and  was  referred  to  in  contemporaneous  dis- 
cussion as  the  "conventional  style."  As  it  was  tested  in 
operation,  and  as  its  defects  both  for  storage  and  admin- 
istration became  evident,  the  library  profession,  then 
getting  together,  unanimously  condemned  it.  At  the 
Cincinnati  Conference  of  1882,  the  A.  L.  A.  resolved 
that  "the  time  has  come  for  a  radical  modification  of 
the  prevailing  style  of  library  building,  and  the  adoption 
of  a  style  better  suited  to  economy  and  practical 
utility."1  At  first  there  was  no  agreement  on  a  suc- 
cessor. Richardson,  the  great  architect,  developed  a 
library  type  which  was  severely  criticized  by  librarians.2 
But  in  the  rapid  growth  of  libraries,  the  problem  of  close, 
economical  and  accessible  storage  of  books  became  acute. 
How  could  these  accumulating  masses  be  stored  and  at 
the  same  time  used?  The  solution  came  in  the  "stack," 
at  first  fiercely  fought  by  conservative  librarians,  but 
now  so  universally  accepted  as  to  form  the  distinctive 
feature  of  modern  American  library  architecture. 

In  1876  an  impetus  was  given  to  library  science,  in- 
cluding building,  by  the  government  report  of  that  year 
on  libraries,  and  also  by  the  formation  of  the  American 
Library  Association.  The  annual  meetings  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, its  discussions,  the  studies  and  reports  of  its 
committees,  the  formation  and  activity  of  state,  city, 
and  other  local  library  associations,  the  establishment 
of  library  schools,  have  all  tended  to  build  up  a  consensus 
of  opinion  on  important  topics  which  has  been  recorded 
in  the  library  journals,  and  has  slowly  but  surely  im- 
pressed itself  on  architects,  on  the  public,  and,  not  least 
of  all,  upon  building  committees. 

1  6  L.  J.  131.  213  L.  J.  (1888),  276,  332. 


INTRODUCTION  15 

A  special  impetus  toward  union  among  librarians  was 
the  controversy  which  arose  over  the  building  of  the 
second  Boston  Public  Library.  The  importation  of  its 
exterior  design  from  Paris,  and  the  attempt  to  build  up 
an  interior  for  it  without  any  consultation  with  libra- 
rians either  local  or  national,  seemed  such  a  marked 
snub  to  the  profession  just  becoming  conscious  of  power 
and  unity,  that  it  aroused  renewed  attention  to  the 
proper  planning  of  library  buildings.  A  trustee  of  the 
library  having  stated  in  public  that  "it  was  no  use  to 
consult  librarians,  for  no  two  of  them  agreed  on  any 
point,"  the  American  Library  Association  endorsed  unani- 
mously at  its  next  conference  the  paper  on  "Points  of 
Agreement  on  Library  Architecture,"  which  has  since 
been  the  accepted  basis  of  all  satisfactory  plans.  A 
series  of  nine  letters  to  the  Boston  Herald,  criticizing 
the  building  and  the  library  management  (republished 
in  17  L.  J.) ,  vindicated  the  library  side  of  the  controversy 
and  brought  about  a  change  of  management.  And 
yet  this  facade  of  the  library  Ste.  Genevieve  in  Paris 
has  been  repeated  "with  monotonous  poverty  of  inven- 
tion," says  an  architect,  in  the  mistaken  belief  that  a 
building  once  labeled  a  library  is  a  praiseworthy  model 
to  be  copied. 

Another  spur  to  library  building  during  these  last 
years  has  been  the  Carnegie  gifts.  Their  number  and 
wide  range,  furnishing  at  the  same  time  an  incentive 
and  a  climax  to  both  private  beneficence  and  public 
liberality,  finally  convinced  architects  that  in  library 
buildings  of  all  sizes  and  various  purposes  they  had  a 
theme  worthy  of  their  best  work  and  highest  genius. 
Mr.  Carnegie's  first  Public  Free  Library  was  founded  in 
1889,  less  than  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  Up  to  March, 
1911,  he  had  given  funds  for  2062  public  and  115  college 
libraries. 


16  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Forecasting  the  Years 

This  rapid  sketch  has  gleaned  the  records  to  show 
how  the  housing  of  libraries  has  grown  through  cen- 
turies toward  a1  rapid  development  in  our  own  age. 

The  Present.  In  looking  back  through  the  last  sixty 
years,  indeed  through  the  last  quarter-century,  we  con- 
trast twenty-five  years  ago  with  the  present  time.  We 
cannot  fail  to  be  satisfied  with  the  advance  in  rational 
building.  We  know  better  what  we  want ;  we  are  called 
more  into  consultation  with  our  trustees  as  to  what  is 
wanted;  our  opinions  are  listened  to  with  respect  by 
the  architects.  If  every  building  is  not  as  perfect  as 
we  could  wish,  how  much  larger  is  the  proportion  of 
serviceable  libraries;  how  much  smaller  is  the  number 
of  stately  failures?  Turn  over  the  plans  in  Koch's 
portfolio  of  Carnegie  Libraries.  See  how  much  better 
is  the  average  interior,  how  much  more  satisfactory  the 
fenestration  and  proportions  of  the  average  exterior. 
In  the  "Points  of  Agreement  among  Librarians,"  adop- 
ted as  our  chart  in  1891,  it  was  stated  that  "very  few 
library  buildings  erected  during  the  previous  ten  years 
conformed  to  all,  and  some  of  them  conformed  to  none, 
of  these  axiomatic  requirements."  Could  we  not  say 
now  that  nearly  all  library  buildings  erected  since  1891 
conformed  to  most  and  many  to  all  of  what  have 
seemed  to  us  the  requisites  of  construction? 

The  Next  Quarter  Century.  What  has  the  future 
in  store  for  us? 

In  the  first  place,  a  swarm  of  buildings.  Private 
beneficence,  already  aroused  and  stimulated,  will  con- 
tinue for  at  least  another  generation  even  after  Car- 


INTRODUCTION  17 

negie  shall  pass  on  to  his  reward.  Public  opinion  in  a 
large  part  of  our  country  has  come  to  believe  in  the 
library  as  it  believes  in  the  schools.  Small  libraries  will 
follow  railway  stations  into  all  growing  and  ambitious 
towns.  Communities  now  inert  will  awake  and,  as 
instruments  for  good,  demand  libraries  to  stand  beside 
their  churches.  The  buildings  of  today  will  soon  burst 
their  bounds  in  the  flood  of  library  progress,  and  require 
enlargement  or  replacement. 

The  colleges  will  more  and  more  recognize  the  rela- 
tions of  libraries  to  instruction  and  the  relations  of  the 
building  to  the  library.  Large  cities  will  experiment 
with  large  library  buildings  as  the  crown  of  their  educa- 
tional system. 

Library  science  also  will  still  progress  ahead  of  its 
building  problems.  Where  its  developments  are  to  end 
no  one  can  foretell.  What  Bostwick l  defines  as  the  chief 
modern  features  of  American  libraries  —  freedom  of 
access,  work  with  children,  co-operation  with  schools, 
branch  libraries  of  all  kinds,  all  such  expanding  activi- 
ties —  are  sure  to  spread  still  further  on  the  lines  of  social 
science,  industrial  education  and  good  citizenship,  reach- 
ing out,  as  Mr.  Dana  says,  for  the  mechanic  and  the 
artisan. 

In  building  there  will  be  serious  problems  to  be 
worked  out.  To  college  libraries  will  come  the  great 
question  of  the  economical  and  effective  distribution  of 
department  libraries.  In  all  large  libraries  the  problem 
presses  of  how  to  store  closely  and  still  handily  the 
masses  of  accumulating  books;  underground  stacks, 
central  artificially  lighted  book  rooms,  sliding  presses, 
mechanical  carriers.  In  all  large  centers  are  impending 
the  enormous  warehouses  2  of  the  future  for  dead  or 
moribund  books,  literary  tombs  or  morgues. 
1  p.  9.  "•  J.  C.  Dana,  Library  Problems. 


18  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

I  see  another  question  impending,  —  Cannot  modern 
methods  of  steel  construction  help  out  the  city  problems 
of  light  and  congestion?  Is  the  massive  masonry,  which 
has  made  such  dungeons  out  of  most  of  our  public  build- 
ings, necessary  for  libraries?  In  view  of  the  universal 
opinion  among  librarians  that  every  building  will  have 
to  be  changed,  enlarged,  or  replaced  within  a  short 
generation,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  thick  walls  kill  the 
light  needed  for  readers,  that  masonry  partitions  hinder 
change,  may  not  the  structure  that  makes  our  modern 
stores  and  office  buildings  so  light,  cheerful  and  airy, 
be  in  some  satisfactory  way  applied  to  our  large 
libraries? 

Of  one  thing  we  may  be  fairly  sure.  Intelligent  alli- 
ance and  the  friendship  of  mutual  respect  between 
librarians  and  architects  will  so  carry  conviction  to 
trustees  that  our  buildings  of  the  near  future  will  seem 
workable  to  librarians,  satisfactory  to  architects,  and 
noble  to  the  public. 

For  the  remoter  future  our  successors  must  plan.  We 
do  our  share  if  we  pass  on  to  them  bettered  methods 
and  finer  buildings. 


INTRODUCTION  19 


Firmitas,   Utilitas,  Venustas 

The  motto  I  have  chosen  for  this  work  is  the  maxim 
embodying  three  essential  qualities  in  building,  as  given 
by  Vitruvius,  the  leading  authority  in  his  profession, 
in  his  work  "De  Architectura  Libri  Decem"  issued  over 
nineteen  hundred  years  ago  at  the  highwater  tide  of 
the  classical  style  of  architecture  which  some  of  his  mod- 
ern successors  have  copied  too  blindly,  forgetting  that 
the  conditions  of  our  firmitas  and  utilitas  have  essentially 
changed  and  modified  the  twentieth  century  venustas. 

Even  at  that  age,  note  the  order  in  which  the  author 
arranged  his  attributes.  Venustas  last,  even  in  that 
era  of  magnificent  architecture. 

A  fair  translation  of  the  motto  would  be  stability, 
usefulness,  loveliness. 

The  second  essential  is  the  one  as  to  which  the  libra- 
rian is  peculiarly  qualified  to  speak,  and  of  which  he  is 
the  especial  champion,  but  he  is  greatly  interested  in 
the  two  other  attributes  for  which  the  architect  is 
more  directly  responsible,  and  perhaps  the  librarian  can 
help  even  here  by  suggestions. 

He  can  certainly  serve  throughout  the  processes  of 
planning,  in  keeping,  always  and  everywhere,  all  con- 
cerned to  the  spirit  of  this  classical  architectural  pre- 
cept so  well  rendered  by  the  homely  Anglo-Saxon  adage, 
"Use  before  beauty." 


20  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Firmitas 

In  the  first  place  safety  and  strength  of  construction 
must  be  essentials  to  everyone  of  the  interested  parties, 
and  must  be  planned  for  and  closely  watched  by  the 
architect. 

I  was  first  attracted  to  the  apothegm  of  Vitruvius  by 
the  second  item,  but  on  dwelling  on  the  subject  I  am 
not  so  sure  that  the  first  is  not  quite  as  apposite.  In 
considering  the  Latin  synonyms,  I  noticed  that  firmitas 
had  been  used  rather  than  soliditas,  and  on  pondering 
definitions  in  a  lexicon,  I  found  this  under  the  head  of 
firmitas—  "the  quality  of  the  firmus;"  and  under  the 
head  of  firmus — "strong,  proper,  suitable,  fit."  Thus 
Vitruvius  builded  better  than  he  knew  for  modern 
library  building,  and  voted  from  the  golden  age  of 
classic  architecture  two  to  one  against  venustas  in  a 
library  building. 

The  librarian  should  constantly  bear  in  mind  first  cost, 
and  cost  of  care  as  well  as  of  administration.  There 
may  be  a  choice  between  equally  strong  materials  and 
methods  of  construction.  There  may  be  choice  as  to 
use  of  walls,  floors,  windows,  partitions,  lights,  heaters. 
In  all  these  points  affecting  construction  his  watchful- 
ness should  be  constant  and  his  practical  advice  should 
have  weight.  He  must  warn  also  against  unnecessary 
heaviness  and  rigidity,  and  any  methods  which  would 
hamper  changes  or  needlessly  outlast  the  probable 
life  of  the  building.  Massiveness  is  not  now  essential 
to  strength,  and  in  a  library  building  is  a  detriment. 


INTRODUCTION  21 


Utilitas 

Here  naturally  the  librarian  must  have  pre-eminence. 
While  the  architect  may  well  correct  inexperience  in  con- 
struction, and  may  chasten  poor  taste  in  ornament,  he 
and  the  building  committee  ought  to  defer  to  the  libra- 
rian on  all  questions  of  administration,  and  only  oppose 
or  override  him  where  he  is  clearly  unripe,  "faddy"  or 
wrong.  Certainly,  in  planning,  the  architect  should 
try  patiently  to  meet  all  needs  of  storage  or  service  as 
presented  by  competent  authority.  Here  is  the  core 
of  the  problem:  by  the  test  of  usefulness  this  particular 
building  is  to  be  judged  a  success  or  a  failure. 

But  the  librarian  should  be  sure  rather  than  obstinate. 
While  he  must  be  clear  what  he  wants  to  do,  he  should 
remember  that  there  may  be  several  ways  of  doing  it. 
If  he  is  really  an  intelligent  as  well  as  an  expert  librarian, 
he  will  often  find  in  the  architect  a  helpful  inventiveness 
to  which  he  should  yield  an  equal  adaptability.  Some 
of  the  best  library  ideas  are  an  architect's  development 
of  a  librarian's  idea ;  —  witness  the  stack. 

As  to  a  union  of  use  and  beauty,  I  would  quote  the 
Alumni  Committee  on  the  Harvard  University  Library:1 
"Not  only  should  the  new  library  be  as  perfect  in  plan 
and  equipment  as  a  wise  and  generous  expenditure  can 
make  it,  it  should  also,  avoiding  any  display  of  costli- 
ness, possess  a  beauty  and  dignity  of  its  own,  both  within 
and  without,  that  it  may  be  a  constant  source  of  pleas- 
ure and  inspiration  to  all  who  use  it." 
*L.  J.  May,  1902. 


22  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Venustas 

I  was  first  tempted  to  translate  epigrammatically 
strength,  use,  show,  but  show  seemed  just  the  effect 
to  avoid,  although  the  venus  suggested  it.  The  lexicon 
defines  the  meaning  of  venustas  as  loveliness,  beauty, 
charm ;  and  I  take  it  beauty  —  plain  beauty  —  is  what 
we  most  wish  to  see  in  a  library  building. 

"While  it  is  undeniable  that  the  more  directly  utili- 
tarian requirements  should  take  precedence,  aesthetic 
treatment  of  a  library  building  is  no  unimportant 
matter.  A  building  which  is  a  work  of  art  is  a 
powerful  educational  factor;  a  dignified  structure  com- 
mands respect;  an  attractive  exterior  and  pleasing 
interior  attract  toward  use  of  the  building." —  Champneys.1 

The  eleventh  edition  of  the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica, 
in  its  article  on  Architecture,  says  this:  "The  end  of  build- 
ing is  convenience,  the  end  of  architecture  as  an  art  is 
beauty,  grandeur,  unity,  power."  "The  most  important 
qualities  (it  continues)  are  size,  harmony,  proportion, 
symmetry,  ornament  and  color."  Of  these,  size  will 
depend  mainly  on  the  scope  of  work  of  the  library,  and 
on  the  funds  available.  Ornament  in  a  library  is  a 
questionable  beauty.  The  other  qualities  are  possible 
even  in  a  small  and  inexpensive  building.  For  har- 
mony and  proportion,  the  architect  may  well  be  allowed 
choice  at  the  outset  as  to  what  general  form  of  building 
would  best  suit  the  site,  and  accord  with  the 
environment. 

1  p.  136. 


INTRODUCTION  23 

I  should  add  to  the  elements  of  beauty,  material. 
In  this  the  next  choice  after  cost,  should  be  appropriate- 
ness and  possibilities  of  dignity  and  quiet  beauty. 
Nor  need  the  material  be  expensive.  Expense  does  not 
always  promote  beauty;  it  often  ensures  ugliness.  A 
good  rule  to  follow  is  to  take  "the  wine  of  the  country," 
as  it  were,  —  the  stone  of  the  state.  Not  necessarily 
stone,  either.  Unless  in  large  libraries,  why  is  not  wood 
good  exterior  material,  if  the  life  of  the  building  is  likely 
to  be  only  twenty-five  years?  Wood  is  a  fine  material 
for  a  small  building,  lending  itself  to  easy  alterations 
or  repair,  and  capable  of  great  beauty.  Whoever  has 
had  the  fortune  to  sail  on  Christiania  Fjord  or  Puget 
Sound  has  brought  away,  as  pictures  of  loveliness,  a 
memory  of  the  beautiful  villas  of  those  forest-rich  shores. 
Even  re-enforced  concrete,  with  its  vast  possibilities 
of  ugliness,  has  also  possibilities  of  beauty:  witness 
the  business  section  of  Leipsic,  and  the  residence  quarter 
of  Hamburg.  The  different  sections  of  America  have 
various  handsome  and  durable  building  stones.  And 
every  section  is  near  enough  to  clay  to  have  good  brick,  — 
by  far  the  most  sensible,  and  in  good  hands  the  most 
beautiful  material  for  library  building.  Did  you  ever 
see  the  buildings  of  Harvard  University?  If  so,  you 
retain  now  in  memory,  not  so  much  the  gray  granite 
of  the  library,  as  the  soft,  homely,  beautiful,  wholly 
satisfactory  atmosphere  of  old  Holworthy.  If  you  can 
escape  the  bilious  brick  which  just  at  present  is  considered 
aesthetic,  and  the  other  brick  which  exudes  soda-blotches, 
and  get  the  good  old-fashioned  kind  which  mellows  to' 
a  ripe  old  age,  you  will  please  a  large  constituency. 

As  to  marbles,  if  they  are  cheaper  than  stone  or  brick, 
all  right.  But  if  additional  expense  for  marble  will 
cripple  or  dwarf  a  single  feature  of  convenience  or 
service,  I  would  fight  it  to  my  last  breath.  Perhaps 
I  am  prejudiced,  by  an  early  experience.  Being  in 


24  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Washington  some  years  ago,  I  wandered  into  the  new 
Navy  Department  Building.  Asking  to  see  the  library 
I  was  shown  to  a  lofty,  bare  room  paneled  in  marble 
from  floor  to  ceiling.  "Here  you  see  specimens  of  all 
the  marbles  of  the  world,  brought  by  vessels  of  the 
navy  direct  from  their  quarries,"  said  the  custodian. 
"But  where  are  the  books  to  be?"  I  queried.  "Oh,  the 
books!"  he  answered,  rather  contemptuously ;  "  in  here;" 
and  he  showed  me  two  slices  of  space,  just  the  length 
of  the  main  room,  shelved  on  both  sides  thirty  feet  high, 
lighted  only  by  a  tier  of  single  windows  at  one  end,  and 
each  space  only  eight  feet  wide.  Since  then,  marbles 
outside  or  inside  a  library  have  been  associated  for  me 
with  vulgar  show,  not  with  appropriate  venustas. 

As  to  the  quality  of  grandeur,  I  am  not  sure  that  it  is 
even  appropriate  to  a  library.  Is  it  not  some  such 
effect  that  many  architects  have  aimed  at  in  our  bad 
past?  It  seems  to  me  that  Beresford  Pite  was  right  in 
saying:1  "A  regard  for  symmetrical  purpose,  a  large- 
ness of  proportion  and  form,  simplicity  of  detail,  and 
great  restraint  and  refinement  of  moulding  and  orna- 
ment, are  qualities  characteristic  of  a  library,  internally 
as  well  as  externally.  .  .  .  Libraries  of  all  buildings 
should  be  freed  from  the  trammels  of  a  merely  archaeo- 
logical architecture.  The  architect  of  the  present  day  is 
apt  to  rely  too  simply  on  precedent."  Yes,  witness 
some  of  our  Greek  temple  libraries  in  new  America. 

After  all,  the  material  to  be  used  on  the  exterior  is 
largely  controlled  by  the  limit  of  funds  and  is  a  matter 
for  the  architect  rather  than  the  librarian,  unless  he 
thinks  the  cost  of  the  outside  will  stunt  his 
accommodations. 

1 2d  Int.  Libr.  Conf.  106. 


INTRODUCTION  25 


Is  There  an  Irrepressible  Conflict  ? 

In  the  future  must  we  face  a  continuous  conflict 
between  the  architect  and  the  librarian?  Is  it  true,  as 
was  once  said,  that  the  architect  is  the  natural  enemy 
of  the  librarian?  Was  Dr.  Garnett  right  when  he  said,1 
"Hence  a  continual  conflict  between  the  architect  who 
desires  a  handsome  elevation  and  the  librarian  who  aims 
at  practical  convenience?"  Yes  and  no.  No,  certainly, 
if  we  mean  the  word  enemy  in  any  but  a  Pickwickian 
sense.  No,  certainly,  if  we  expect  a  bitter  fight  and  bad 
feeling.  But  if  we  substitute  the  word  "contest"  for 
"conflict,"  if  we  look  forward  to  eager  but  friendly 
struggles,  like  athletic  contests  between  colleges,  — 
yes,  certainly  yes.  If  both  sides  are  striving  for  the 
fine  aims  of  Vitruvius,  which  I  have  taken  as  a  motto  — 
Firmitas,  Utilitas,  Venustas  —  there  will  be  nothing  but 
the  amity  and  mutual  respect  of  brotherly  rivals.  There 
will  not  at  first  be  full  accord  as  to  any  one  of  the  three 
points.  Sound  construction,  yes:  but  must  that  neces- 
sarily be  the  construction  of  precedent?  Use,  yes: 
but  just  the  phases  of  use  as  seen  by  the  untrained  eyes 
of  that  particular  librarian?  Beauty,  yes:  but  exactly 
the  beauty  of  any  conventional  style? 

"I  do  not  believe  there  is  a  conflict  between  the 
librarian  or  the  committee,  and  the  architect.  There 
is  a  common  meeting  ground."  — R.  B.  Green.2 

"The  hostility  between  beauty  and  utility  is  often 
more  apparent  than  real."  —  Patton? 

1  Burg.  viii.  2  6  P.  L.  602.  3  6  P.  L.  200. 


26  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

There  will  inevitably  be  differences,  at  first,  even 
among  consulting  librarians.  Get  together!  Let  libra- 
fian  and  architect  compare  views  until  they  find  some 
way  of  satisfying  both,  then  present  a  united  front  to 
the  building  committee.  If,  however,  they  cannot 
agree,  formulate  their  difference  clearly  and  present  it 
to  the  committee  for  decision,  as  business  trustees  often 
present  doubts  as  to  their  trust,  in  a  friendly  suit  before 
a  court. 

But  remember  that  it  is  a  contest,  and  have  the 
library  side  presented  as  ably  as  the  architect's. 


INTRODUCTION  27 


Library  Science 

Modern  library  science  is  yet  in  its  adolescence  as 
compared  with  architecture,  but  it  is  a  robust  youth. 
It  already  knows  definitely  what  it  wants,  and  what 
it  does  not  want.  For  guidance,  it  has  a  copious 
literature  of  first  instance,  scattered  through  various 
pamphlets  and  four  score  back  volumes  of  periodicals. 
It  is  beginning  to  have  a  literature  of  last  instance, 
in  book  form,  like  Duff-Brown  in  England  and 
Bostwick  in  America;  and  even  a  formal  literature 
about  library  buildings,  Burgoyne  and  Champneys 
abroad,  and  now  this  volume  here.  It  is  very  satis- 
factory to  see  how  these  three-thousand-miles-apart 
authorities  agree.  There  are  still  differences  of  method 
to  provide  material  for  debate  at  the  next  international 
conference,  but  we  are  close  enough  together  on  prin- 
ciples, at  least,  to  convince  any  doubting  Thomas  that 
there  is  a  library  science  to  govern  library  building. 

And  in  building  there  is  the  greatest  need  of  further 
developing  library  science.  As  Fletcher  cays  in  his 
preface : 1  — 

"One  need  not  visit  all  the  libraries  of  the  country 
to  become  painfully  convinced  that  want  of  adaptation 
to  use  is  by  no  means  infrequent.  With  regard  to  build- 
ings, Lord  Bacon's  judgment  seems  very  safe:  'Houses 
are  built  to  live  in,  and  not  to  Looke  on:  Therefore  let 
Use  bee  preferred  before  Uniformitie.'  If  this  is  true 
for  houses,  then  a  fortiori  for  libraries." 

ip.  1. 


28  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

But  the  main  reliance  of  architects  and  building  com- 
mittees should  be  the  living  interpreter,  the  experienced 
librarian  who  can  expound,  apply  and  extend  the  written 
word.  Here  is  embodied  library  science  face  to  face 
with  us,  to  supplement  every  chapter  of  this  book  by  the 
latest  developments;  to  explain  apparent  anomalies 
and  inconsistencies;  to  differentiate  essentials  from  non- 
essentials;  to  concede  where  concession  is  possible;  and 
to  maintain  with  conviction  the  requirements  to  which 
the  architecture  of  tradition  must  yield. 

Nor  are  the  books  closed  with  this  volume.  As  a 
writer  in  "The  Dial,"1  says:  "The  history  of  Library 
Science  is  not  closed.  There  remain  an  indefinite  num- 
ber of  interesting  chapters  still  to  be  written  which  are 
not  unlikely  to  prove  even  more  significant  than  any 
that  have  gone  before." 

1  Feb.  1,  1912,  quoted  in  37  L.  J.  141. 


INTRODUCTION  29 


Architecture 

Architecture,  on  the  other  hand,  is  a  very  mature 
science.  It  is  ages  old,  with  a  voluminous  literature 
from  Vitruvius  down,  with  many  learned  and  skillful 
votaries,  who  have  thorough  technical  education.  In- 
deed, to  a  layman  it  seems  a  bit  too  much  fettered  by 
education  and  precedent.  But  it  has  to  tackle  all 
sorts  of  jobs  from  temples  to  stables,  and  it  is  very 
much  alive  to  modern  progress.  Witness  its  triumphs 
with  "skyscrapers,"  steel  construction,  and  re-enforced 
concrete.  It  has  an  almost  encyclopedic  training  and 
can  deal  with  all  problems  of  itself,  if  required.  But 
for  perfect  work  it  needs  a  very  clear  and  thorough 
statement  of  the  technical  requirements  of  each  problem. 
Give  him  full  information,  and  any  good  architect  can 
do  good  work. 

The  Century  Dictionary  defines  Architecture  as  com- 
bining the  requirements  of  (1)  use  and  convenience, 
(2)  constructive  necessity  and  fitness,  (3)  artistic 
excellence. 

For  buildings  that  are  more  practical  than  decorative, 
the  first  is  paramount,  and  it  is  on  this  point  alone  that 
the  librarian  is  qualified  to  speak  with  authority.  The 
other  two-thirds  —  the  larger  part  of  the  building  —  he 
must  leave  to  the  architect.  If  all  three  points  are 
combined  in  the  result,  the  architect  should  have  two- 
thirds  of  the  credit,  and  if  his  library  advice  has  been 
defective,  he  should  have  the  whole.  And  what  does 
he  get  in  return,  on  a  small  building,  except  kudos? 
Did  you  ever  think  how  small  a  money  reward  he  gets? 
A  lawyer  or  a  surgeon  may  take,  in  a  difficult  case,  all 


30  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

the  client  or  patient  has  in  the  bank  or  can  borrow.  But 
an  architect,  no  matter  how  difficult  his  problem,  and 
how  much  he  has  to  work  it  out  for  himself  with  incompe- 
tent help,  is  limited  to  a  percentage  suggested  before- 
hand by  a  schedule  of  fees.  For  instance,  Miss  Marvin 
gives  views  and  plans  of  a  $10,000  library  at  Darling- 
ton, Wis.,  built  by  Claude  &  Starck  of  Madison,  which 
she  says  meets  perfectly  the  needs  of  a  small  library  with 
one  slight  exception.  She  reports  the  architects'  fee  to 
have  been  $379.65.  For  this  they  had  to  spend  time 
and  thought  on  the  plans,  studying  library  science  as 
applied  to  that  particular  problem.  They  had  to  have 
many  sittings  with  librarian  and  board.  They  had 
to  pay  draftsmen  for  elaborating  several  sets  of  plans. 
They  had  to  prepare  specifications,  invite,  examine  and 
allot  contracts,  watch  all  the  material  that  was  put  in 
and  all  the  work  that  was  done.  Were  they  overpaid? 
In  fact,  were  they  fully  paid  for  their  work  unless  they 
acted  as  their  own  draftsmen?  All  they  really  got  out 
of  the  job  was  the  satisfaction  of  good  work  done,  and 
a  certain  amount  of  reputation,  which  I  am  glad  to 
help  by  this  mention. 

When  an  architect  does  such  good  work  as  this,  as  a 
result  of  giving  proper  consideration  to  the  real  needs 
of  the  library,  he  surely  ought  to  have  credit  for  it, 
and  all  librarians  who  know  about  it  ought  to  give  him 
thanks  and  wide  public  praise. 


INTRODUCTION  31 


Where  does  the  Library  Come  In? 

Architecture,  as  I  have  said,  deals  with  a  wide  range 
of  subjects,  from  the  pure  idealism  of  tombs,  monu- 
ments and  memorial  arches,  to  the  pure  realism  of 
twentieth  century  workshops.  The  former  are,  so  to 
speak,  all  outside,  and  proper  themes  for  competition. 
The  latter  are  nearly  all  inside,  to  be  worked  out  by 
careful  and  special  study  of  their  uses. 

Where,  in  this  wide  circle,  does  the  library  come  in? 
All  librarians  will  claim,  and  most  architects  will  allow, 
that  it  lies  very  near  the  workshop;  as  near  it  surely 
as  the  schoolhouse.  It  certainly  needs  careful  study  and 
adequate  expert  advice. 

The  tombs,   monuments,   and   memorial   arches,   are 
rich  subjects  for  architectural  taste  and  ornament,  — 
for  venustas. 

For  workshops,  for  schoolhouses,  ornament  is  inap- 
propriate. Good  taste,  shown  in  proportion,  lines, 
color,  material,  is  still  demanded,  but  they  belong 
clearly  to  the  domain  of  utilitas. 

The  library  comes,  beyond  doubt,  in  the  latter  group. 
There  is  a  vast  range  of  buildings  between,  more  or  less 
proper  subjects  of  decoration  and  ornamentation. 

But  the  library  should  incontestably  be  assigned  to 
the  utilitarian  extreme. 


32  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


What  Conflict  is  Possible? 

Are  there  any  points  where  architect  and  librarian 
may  clash  ?  There  will  be  many  points  of  course  where 
they  will  differ  at  first,  and  have  to  get  together  through 
argument.  But  are  there  any  influences  toward  a  dead- 
lock? 

On  the  part  of  the  librarian  there  should  be  no 
prejudice.  If  he  be  immature,  or  conceited  and  opin- 
ionated, and  only  half  informed,  he  may  not  deserve  to 
win  in  such  a  contest  of  ideas,  but  his  bias  at  all  events 
would  be  professional,  not  selfish. 

On  the  side  of  the  architect,  however,  might  there  not 
be  some  bias?  In  the  first  place,  professional  bias  toward 
some  style  he  has  got  his  mind  set  on?  He  may  be 
too  willing  -to  sacrifice  utilitas  to  venustas  on  this  account. 
During!  the  Boston  Public  Library  discussion,  an  archi- 
tect wrote  to  a  daily  journal:  "Library  buildings  should 
be  treated  as  monuments,  not  as  workshops,  and  must 
be  made  beautiful  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  utility." 
But  if  any  architect  or  any  trustees  now  have  such  views, 
the  building  committee  is  to  blame  if  it  employs  him,  or 
even  admits  him  to  a  competition. 

In  two  points,  however,  selfish  considerations  might 
bias  an  architect,  if  he  were  poor  or  ambitious.  In  the 
first  place  his  remuneration  is  by  percentage  on  the  total 
cost.  The  more  his  client  spends,  the  more  pay  he  gets. 
This  situation  conflicts  with  economy.  In  the  second 
place,  his  reputation  and  his  future  prosperity  depend 
not  so  much  on  librarians  as  upon  the  general  public, 
which  admires  size,  costly  material,  decoration,  show. 


INTRODUCTION  33 

Witness  the  constant  reappearance  in  magazines  of  the 
worst  libraries  as  examples  of  good  architecture.  March- 
ing with  his  own  artistic  temperament,  this  conflicts 
with  economy,  utility,  and  simplicity. 

As  to  the  danger  of  such  a  conflict,  I  personally  have 
little  fear,  if  some  care  is  taken  in  selecting  the  archi- 
tect. I  know  many  of  the  profession.  All  of  them  I 
believe  would  spurn  the  first  temptation,  as  they  would 
an  open  bribe.  Some  of  them  might  be  influenced 
insidiously  by  the  second,  under  the  guise  of  Pure  Art. 
But  if  shown  by  an  expert  librarian,  worthy  of  belief, 
that  any  architectural  beauty  would  tend  to  cripple 
the  work  of  the  library,  I  believe  that  every  one 
would  yield  his  views  promptly  and  willingly.  In- 
deed, on  the  first  point,  I  have  known  an  architect  to 
sacrifice  his  own  interest  knowingly. 

See  anecdote  at  the  bottom  of  p.  131  proximo. 


34  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


What  Contest  is  Likely? 

Putting  aside  any  question  of  such  serious  conflicts, 
are  there  any  differences  to  be  expected?  Why  not 
leave  it  all  to  the  architect,  with  what  information  he 
can  get  from  the  local  librarian?  There  are  a  number 
of  points  to  be  settled  both  in  the  interior  plan  and 
about  the  exterior  as  affected  by  the  interior.  The 
question,  for  instance,  of  the  best  size  and  collocation 
of  rooms,  and  height  of  stories,  for  effective  and  eco- 
nomical administration.  The  questions  of  shelving  and 
furniture,  always  differing  somewhat  from  previous 
problems.  Such  questions  as  ornamental  fireplaces  and 
massive  furniture,  and  ornamental  as  against  effective 
lighting.  Questions  as  to  the  irreducible  minimum 
of  entrance  halls,  passages  and  stairways.  All  these 
on  the  interior:  —  on  the  exterior,  the  height  of  the 
basement,  the  height  of  the  front  steps,  the  height  of 
stories  and  the  arrangement  and  shape  of  windows, 
expense  of  material  and  decoration  as  against  more 
space  and  better  facilities  inside.  All  these  questions 
are  open  to  honest  difference  of  opinion  between  a 
librarian  and  an  architect  whose  motives  and  ends  are 
the  same.  And  the  architect  with  preconceived  ideas, 
and  a  bias  toward  architectural  effect,  ought  to  have  li- 
brary views  explained  to  him  by  some  librarian  who  is  his 
equal  in  experience,  education,  ability  and  personality. 

The  conditions  have  bettered  in  recent  years.  "The 
librarian's  ideal  and  the  architect's  ideal,  years  ago 
wide  apart,  are  today  coming  closer  together.  Full 
comparison  of  views  may  lead  to  agreement."  —  Hamlin 
(architect).1 

!31  L.  J.  Conf.  62. 


INTRODUCTION  35 


Where  Lies  the  Blame  ? 

Where  should  the  blame  of  bad  buildings  rest  ? 
Sometimes,  certainly,  on  the  architect.  Perhaps  he  is 
incompetent,  perhaps  he  has  been  wilful.  Champneys 
(an  architect  himself)  says  of  the  English  situation:  "In 
many  cases  architects  have  wilfully  sacrificed  utility  to 
aesthetic  considerations."1  And  so  often  in  America. 
I  have  recently  heard  of  an  architect  chosen  to  build 
a  library  with  only  a  limited  fund  available,  calling  for 
twenty-five  per  cent  more  money  for  more  expensive 
material,  before  he  had  begun  to  lay  out  the  interior. 
Here  the  blame  should  rest  on  the  architect,  unless  he 
acted  under  positive  orders  from  the  committee. 

But  the  architect  is  not  always  to  blame.  Sometimes 
the  librarian  has  not  been  strong  enough  or  has  not  had 
enough  experience  to  guide  him  aright.  Sometimes  a 
"faddy"  librarian  has  led  him  to  adopt  features  which 
the  profession  generally  disapprove.  More  often  the 
building  committee  have  left  the  problem  to  the  archi- 
tect without  proper  instructions,  or  have  actually 
instructed  him  to  disregard  librarians'  advice,  and  to 
make  the  building  showy  at  any  sacrifice  of  use. 

The  board  of  library  trustees,  not  the  librarian,  is 
the  architect's  client,  whose  instructions  he  must  obey. 
In  many  cases  the  parties  in  fault  have  been  the 
trustees,  or  ultimately  the  public.  "The  worst  possible 
combination  is  that  of  board  and  architect,  the  librarian 
being  ignored."-  —  Bostwick? 

So  do  not  blame  the  architect  for  a  poor,  clumsy, 
extravagant  building,  unless  you  can  surely  place  the 
responsibility  on  him. 

1  136.  2p.  271. 


36  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Grades  and  Classes 

Grades.  In  dealing  with  libraries,  it  will  be  well  to 
grade  them  by  size,  or  rather  by  cost,  which  will  accom- 
plish the  same  end ;  and  to  arrange  them  by  scope. 

Any  grades  must  be  arbitrary,  but  as  some  attempts 
at  distinguishing  small  from  large  have  already  been 
made,  rather  loosely,  I  will  try  to  group  them  as  I  think 
they  can  be  treated.  Thus:  — 

Minimum,  those  costing  under  $5,000. 

Small,  those  costing  from  $5,000  to  $20,000. 

Moderate,  those  costing  from  $20,000  to  $75,000. 

Medium,  those  costing  from  $75,000  to  $300,000. 

Large,  those  costing  from  $300,000  to  $1,000,000. 

Very  large,  those  costing  more  than  $1,000,000. 

Miss  Marvin1  seems  to  hint  at  $3,000  as  the  limit 
for  very  small  libraries,  but  I  note  that  $5,000  is  a  more 
frequent  limit  for  Carnegie  gifts,  so  I  follow  that  guide. 

The  next  grade  I  limit  to  $20,000,  on  a  suggestion 
from  Miss  Marvin2  that  it  is  unwise  to  attempt  a  two- 
story  building  for  less  than  that  sum.  The  third  limit, 
also,  I  assign  because  Miss  Marvin  says  that  it  is  unusual 
and  unadvisable  to  have  an  architectural  competition 
for  buildings  of  less  cost  than  $75,000.  The  other  groups 
are  deduced  from  my  own  experience. 

I  shall  deal  with  only  two  of  these  groups  at  length, 
"Minimum"  and  "Very  Large."  The  very  small,  or 
"minimum"  libraries  are  adequately  dealt  with  by  Miss 
Marvin,  Eastman,  and  A.  L.  A.  Tract  No.  4.  See, 
however,  later  under  the  heads  of  Plans,  and  also  para 
graphs  under  all  heads  which  fit  small  libraries. 

1  p.  5.  •  p.  9. 


INTRODUCTION  37 

Classes.  Arranging  libraries  according  to  their  scope, 
I  classify  them  thus:  — 

Private. 

Club. 

Proprietary. 

Institutional. 

Professional. 

Scientific. 

Law. 

Medical,  theological. 

Special  business. 
Government. 
State. 

Historical  and  antiquarian. 
University. 
School. 
Public. 

Branches. 
Suburban. 

Of  these,  I  will  treat  Private  and  Club  libraries  in  one 
chapter,  Proprietary,  Institutional  and  Professional  in 
another,  Government,  State  and  Historical  in  a  third, 
University,  College  and  School  in  a  fourth.  To  Public 
Libraries  I  will  devote  a  separate  chapter.  "Branch" 
and  "Suburban"  I  will  consider  in  my  chapter  on  Public 
libraries.  To  some  one  of  these  classes  any  collection  of 
books  may  be  assigned;  any  collection,  that  is,  which 
might  require  separate  treatment  in  this  volume. 

Mr.  Belden,  chairman  of  the  Mass.  Public  Library 
Commission,  writes  me  of  the  especial  need  of  suggestions 
for  small  libraries,  "which  are  springing  up  like  mush- 
rooms, most  of  them  very  poor  specimens  of  what  a 
good  small  library  should  be.  .  .  .  Trustees  in  small 
libraries  are  usually  better  planners  than  the  librarian." 


38  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Small  Library  Buildings 

Minimum.  For  this  grade  of  very  small  libraries 
having,  on  the  Carnegie  ten  per  cent  basis,  not  much 
more  than  $500  a  year  to  spend,  there  would  seem  to  be 
still  need  of  a  special  manual.  Eastman  has  only  two 
illustrations  and  Miss  Marvin  only  one,  in  this  grade, 
most  of  their  plans  being  far  more  costly.  In  A.  L.  A. 
Tract  No.  4,  I  gave  about  ten  pages  which  would  be 
especially  useful  to  very  small  libraries.  Eastman  and 
Miss  Marvin  place  the  limits  of  a  small  library  much 
higher  than  I  do.  It  seems  to  me  that  a  library  —  per- 
haps not  the  very  smallest,  but  certainly  one  that  could 
spare  $10,000  for  building  —  would  know  at  least  where 
to  go  for  advice.  But  the  minimum  grade  librarian 
would  be  apt  to  be  an  amateur  or  a  novice,  and  her 
board  would  hardly  know  much  about  libraries  or  library 
personnel.  To  them  clear,  succinct,  systematic  sugges- 
tions, illustrated  by  just  such  views,  floor  plans  and 
statistics  as  Miss  Marvin  has  given,  would  be  a  very 
great  help,  especially  in  new  and  isolated  communities. 

If  she,  with  Mr.  Eastman's  assistance,  could  compile 
another  manual  or  tract,  confined  to  libraries  which 
especially  need  specific  advice,  cannot  afford  to  pay  for 
it,  and  are  situated  at  a  distance  from  any  experienced 
librarians,  I  think  they  would  do  very  great  good.  Such 
libraries  may  even  copy  model  plans  if  thus  carefully 
selected  and  commended. 

To  condense  here  a  few  principles,  — it  is  best  to  rent  an 
inexpensive  room  and  furnish  it  very  simply,  until  the 
trustees  have  felt  their  way,  know  what  to  do  and  have 
say  a  thousand  dollars  in  sight  to  build  with  and  enough 


INTRODUCTION  39 

funds  to  run  a  building.  But  "it  is  desirable  to  get  a 
library  out  of  rented  quarters  as  soon  as  possible." 
—  Utley.1 

"A  building  is  a  good  thing;  it  makes  the  library 
mean  more  to  the  public.  Build  to  save  light  and  coal, 
build  to  save  work  in  keeping  neat  and  clean,  build  to 
allow  for  growth,  build  so  that  one  person  can  control 
and  do  all  the  work."  —  Ranck.2 

"A  plain  one-story  wooden  building  built  on  posts, 
with  only  one  room,  heated  by  a  stove,  lighted  by  oil 
lamps,  very  simply  lined  with  wall  shelving,  furnished 
with  the  plainest  of  tables  and  chairs,  will  do  at  first."3 

"The  public  library  in  a  small  town  is  usually  its  only 
intellectual  center."  -  —  0.  Bluemner*  And  it  may  become 
its  pleasantest  social  center. 

The  first  development  would  be  to  a  one-story,  one- 
room  building  on  foundations,  but  not  with  finished 
cellar  or  basement.  Perhaps  a  fireplace  could  be  added, 
with  more  and  better  furniture  and  shelving,  so  planned 
that  different  corners  and  separate  divisions  of  shelving, 
still  under  control  from  a  central  desk,  could  begin  the 
rudimentary  divisions  of  a  library;  reference,  light 
reading,  children.  Serious  reading  would  have  to  be 
postponed,  or  pursued  under  difficulties. 

The  next  stage  would  still  be  confined  to  one  open 
main  floor,  to  be  under  one  central  supervision,  built  on 
the  trefoil  plan,  center  and  two  wings,  in  three  rooms, 
or  rather  three  parts  of  one  room,  divided  by  cords,  rails, 
glass  partitions  or  low  bookcases.  To  this  could  be 
added  at  the  back  another  projection,  to  be  used  as  the 
reference  library,  or  for  open  shelves.  "In  the  trefoil 
plan,  the  end  wall  of  the  book  room  at  the  back  might 
well  be  all  glass,  with  no  windows  at  the  sides.  This 

1  24  L.  J.  Conf.  23.  2  30  L.  J.  Conf.  61  and  10  P.  L.  402. 

3  Sturgis,  Vol  2,  col.  752.  4  3  P.  L.  240. 


40  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

would  be  very  easy  to  extend."  —  0.  Bluemner.1  Up  to 
this  time,  no  provision  need  be  made  for  a  private  room 
for  the  librarian. 

But  about  this  stage  it  is  time  to  think  of  a  raised 
cellar  or  basement,  which  will  about  double  the  avail- 
able floor  space  and  begin  to  allow  division  into  depart- 
ments, the  first  increase  of  force  being  a  janitor  who 
can  act  as  supervisor  of  the  lower  rooms. 

Soon  after  this  a  regular  trefoil  building  can  be  erected 
with  practicable  basement,  with  the  introduction  of 
two  small  rooms  at  the  inner  corners  of  the  back  ell, 
where  they  need  not  block  light  from  any  room. 

From  this  on  to  a  two-story  building  with  stairs,  there 
are  many  alternatives,  and  no  regular  style  of  building 
can  be  prescribed. 

When  a  town  has  no  adviser  at  hand,  it  can  apply 
to  the  state  library  commission,  or  if  there  is  none  in  the 
state,  to  the  nearest  state  commission,  which  at  least 
can  advise  from  what  librarian  it  can  get  good  advice. 

Most  of  the  very  small  libraries  described  in  the  1899 
Report  of  the  Mass.  Free  Public  Library  Commission 
occupy  a  room  or  rooms  in  schoolhouses,  town  halls, 
churches,  the  librarian's  house,  or  public  blocks.  The 
smallest  grade  of  separate  library  buildings  seem  to  me 
more  uniformly  appropriate  and  beautiful  than  many  of 
higher  grades. 

As  I  drive  about  seashore  and  mountain  resorts  and 
through  small  country  towns,  I  see  many  beautiful  little 
library  buildings,  usually  closed  at  the  time  I  pass,  so 
that  I  cannot  inspect  the  interiors.  In  the  1899  Report 
of  the  Mass.  Free  Public  Library  Commission,  I  find 
descriptions  of  several  low-cost  library  buildings.  For 
instance : — 

1  3  P.  L.  115. 


INTRODUCTION  41 

Old  buildings  bought:        Westbury  cost     $100. 

Boxford  "         360. 

Scituate  "         700. 

Mendon  "       1,000. 

West  Tisbury        "       1,063. 
New  wooden  buildings :    Marston's  Mills     "         425. 

Freetown  "       1,500. 

Provincetown        "      3,000. 

North  Scituate      "      3,000. 

Southwick  "      3,000. 

New  brick  buildings:        Bernardiston  2,000. 

Buckland  "      2,500. 

Templeton  "      2,500. 

with  several  others  costing  less  than  $5,000  and  many 
costing  $10,000  or  less.  Of  some  of  these,  exterior 
views  are  given  in  the  report.  I  should  much  like  to  see 
interior  views,  floor  plans,  full  statistics  and  com- 
ments of  local  librarians. 

In  A.  L.  A.  Library  Tract  No.  4  I  said,  and  still  think, 
that  — 

"A  rough,  unpainted,  cellarless,  one-room  wooden 
building  could  be  put  together  for  say  $250,  and  can 
be  fitted  up  and  made  comfortable  in  all  weathers  for 
as  much  more. 

"From  $1,000  to  $2,500  will  pay  for  a  tasteful  wooden 
building  amply  sufficient  for  a  library  of  not  over  5,000 
volumes. 

"$2,500  to  $5,000  will  erect  a  similar  building,  to 
hold  10,000  volumes  or  more. 

"From  $10,000  up  will  provide  for  a  brick  building, 
and  from  $15,000  up  a  stone  building  for  growing  libra- 
ries of  15,000  volumes  or  more,  with  the  varied  func- 
tions that  such  a  collection  implies." 

These  figures  are  only  an  approximation  and  will  vary 
in  different  sections,  with  prices  of  material  and  labor, 
but  they  will  do  for  rough  guess  to  start  with. 


42  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  only  comments  in  Miss  Marvin's  pamphlet  which 
seem  specially  to  apply  to  this  grade  are  these :  — 

"A  building  costing  $3,000  or  less  cannot  have  library 
rooms  in  the  basement."  (p.  5.) 

"A  $5,000  building  usually  consists  of  one  large  well- 
lighted  room,  with  basement  for  storage  and  workrooms." 
(p.  5.) 

"Small  buildings  will  be  the  same  as  the  $10,000  build- 
ings in  the  points  of  light,  shelving,  etc."  (p.  5.) 

Small  Buildings.  But  the  grade  from  $5,000  to 
$20,000,  which  probably  will  include  a  large  majority 
of  American  libraries,  would  be  apt  to  be  more  sophisti- 
cated, to  have  a  bright  and  even  a  trained  librarian,  and 
one  or  two  practical  trustees  who  could  seek  advice 
intelligently,  get  at  similar  libraries  in  their  neighbor- 
hood or  state,  pick  out  a  good  architect,  and  not  need 
precedents  quite  so  much.  Their  problems  are  much  the 
same  as  those  of  larger  libraries.  Their  need  of  features 
looking  towards  economy  of  administration  and  effec- 
tiveness of  supervision  with  a  small  force  would  be 
greater;  but  they  would  begin  to  have  many  of  the 
essential  functions  of  larger  libraries;  especially,  in  our 
rapidly  developing  communities,  the  interior  and  ex- 
terior provisions  for  growth  which  require  such  intelligent 
forethought  and  careful  planning.  Whatever  may  be 
thought  of  larger  problems,  here  is  the  place  for  an 
experienced  library  architect,  one  who  has  already  built 
a  small  library  which  stands  the  test  of  use,  some  clever 
and  sympathetic  young  architect,  perhaps,  who  has 
already  shown  his  skill  as  a  builder  and  his  taste 
as  a  designer,  but  who  is  not  too  busy  to  give 
some  of  his  own  time  to  the  task.  With  such  an 
architect,  thoroughly  commended  by  librarians  who 
know  his  work,  there  may  not  be  need  of  a  paid 
library  expert. 


INTRODUCTION  43 

Koch  gives  illustrations  of  ten  library  buildings  in 
this  grade,  besides  several  branch  libraries  whose  cost 
is  not  stated.  Miss  Marvin  gives  twelve  illustrations 
in  this  grade;  Eastman  ten. 

In  this  "small"  grade  would  come  many  branches 
and  many  suburban  libraries. 

Some  English  plans  show  a  two-story  head-house, 
with  a  one-story  extension  to  the  rear,  lighted  from  the 
roof.  Why  would  not  this  plan  work  well  on  narrow 
and  deep  city  lots? 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  had  a  letter  from  Miss 
Marvin,  from  which  I  quote,  "I  should  like  to  suggest 
that  you  advise  small  libraries  to  consider  their  state 
library  commissions  as  their  official  advisers  in  the 
matter  of  building.  They  could  help  in  detail  work, 
pass  upon  their  plans,  and  above  all  prepare  the  instruc- 
tions for  the  architect  before  he  begins  to  draw.  Out 
in  our  part  of  the  country  in  smaller  towns,  there  are 
very  few  competent  architects,  and  a  great  many 
beginners,  who  do  not  ask  or  expect  instructions  from 
the  library  boards.  They  simply  draw  pictures  of  their 
ideas  of  interiors  and  exteriors  of  libraries." 

See  Light,  artificial,  p.  201 ;  and  Ventilation,  window- 
system,  p.  210. 


44  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Moderate  and  Medium  Libraries 

Buildings  to  cost  anywhere  from  $20,000  to  $1,000,000 
present  much  the  same  kind  of  problems,  varied  more  by 
class  than  by  cost,  but  growing  more  complicated,  of 
course,  with  increased  size  and  scope. 

To  quote  again : l 

"As  a  library  grows,  the  rudimentary  divisions  still 
prevail,  sub-divided  according  to  special  needs,  such  as 
Separation  of  books,  as  under  art,  music,  patents,  etc. ; 
Separation  of  work,  as  librarians,  delivery,  janitor,  etc. ; 
Separation  of  readers,  as  adults,  children,  serious  and 
light  reading,  etc." 

The  architect's  special  parts  of  the  problem,  construc- 
tion and  exterior,  grow  rather  less  than  the  librarian's. 
The  latter's  problems  increase  with  the  number  of  de- 
partments and  rooms.  The  principles  remain  substan- 
tially the  same,  but  their  application  to  the  relations  of 
books,  administration  and  readers  requires  more  study. 
The  necessity  for  special  experience  and  maturer  judg- 
ment becomes  greater  and  greater,  and  the  librarian's 
side  of  consultation  needs  strengthening  with  every 
thousand  cubic  feet  of  size  to  be  apportioned  rightly. 
With  increased  size  the  diversities  of  use  between  different 
classes  of  libraries  become  more  technical  and  intricate. 
Unless  the  local  librarian  is  expert  and  mature  he  needs 
an  able  and  experienced  adviser  to  be  able  to  hold  his 
own  with  the  architect,  who  will  wish  his  problem  more 
thoroughly  and  authoritatively  presented  as  it  becomes 
more  complex. 

1  Sturgis,  Vol.  2,  col.  753. 


INTRODUCTION  45 


Very  Large  Buildings 

The  buildings  to  cost  over  a  million  dollars  are  likely 
to  be  in  the  state,  public  or  university  classes.  Some 
of  their  peculiar  phases  will  be  discussed  under  those 
heads.  The  features  they  have  in  common  are  size, 
material  and  construction,  entrances,  stack,  relation  of 
stack  to  reading  rooms,  underground  stories,  stairs  and 
elevators. 

Material  and  construction  are  perhaps  the  most 
problematical.  As  has  already  been  questioned,  must 
libraries  be  of  solid  stone  construction  like  most  of  our 
recent  public  buildings?  Must  they  be  gloomy  dungeons 
like  our  typical  custom-houses?  One  objection  to  mas- 
sive and  imposing  build  is  the  burden  of  shade  imposed 
on  the  inside  rooms  and  corridors  by  thick  walls,  deep 
window  embrasures,  rows  of  columns,  porticos  and 
overhanging  cornices.  Can  they  not  be  given  sufficient 
dignity  and  yet  be  of  modern  steel  construction,  like 
our  business  blocks  that  are  so  light  and  airy?  Or,  if 
an  imposing  front  be  necessary,  why  not  plan  it  with 
columns,  portico  and  approaches,  as  a  mere  facade  to 
mask  three  other  exterior  walls  and  partitions  of  light 
construction?  One  important  consideration  toward  this 
end  is  the  belief  of  librarians  that  every  building  may 
require  alteration,  enlargement,  possibly  replacement  in 
less  than  a  generation,  and  ought  not  therefore  to  be 
too  solid. 

Why  not  put  the  stacks  on  the  front  and  sides,  thus 
giving  a  light  construction  tone  to  the  building  ? 


46  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

If  such  a  daring  experiment  could  be  made  for  a  very 
large  library,  it  would  lead  to  omission  of  impressive 
outside  stairs  and  rows  of  useless  columns,  which  often 
incumber  entrances  and  largely  increase  the  cost  of 
library  buildings. 

The  stack,  still  in  the  course  of  development  in  smaller 
libraries,  must  be  studied  as  the  principal  problem  in  a 
very  large  library. 

Room  to  store  enormous  and  continually  enlarging 
stocks  of  books  will  be  required.  Where  to  put  the 
reading  rooms  is  a  minor  problem,  the  chief  query 
being  where  to  give  them  the  best  daylight,  either  outside, 
or  on  courtyards,  or  under  the  roof;  to  leave  ample 
space  for  them,  not  too  far  from  books  and  administra- 
tion rooms.  Could  a  large  enough  stack  be  built  on 
what  might  be  called  the  daylight  fronts  and  the  day- 
light stories?  The  question  of  dark,  central  or  under- 
ground stacks  will  be  discussed  in  a  separate  chapter. 
It  is  only  outlined  here  as  one  of  the  chief  problems  of 
the  very  large  building. 

Elevators  and  mechanical  carriers,  house  telephones 
or  speaking  tubes  will  furnish  larger  problems  the 
larger  the  building  is  to  be. 

Inside  stairs  and  passages,  just  large  enough,  no 
larger,  than  will  be  required  for  use,  and  so  carefully 
placed  as  to  unite,  rather  than  separate,  departments  of 
the  library,  will  in  themselves  be  a  special  study  both  in 
service  and  in  economy  of  space  and  cost.  The  more 
unnecessary  cubic  space,  width,  length  and  height,  you 
waste  on  them,  the  more  your  library  will  cost  to  build, 
and  the  more  will  be  the  annual  expense  of  caring  for 
it  and  of  repairing  it, 


INTRODUCTION  47 


CLASSES 


Private  and  Club  Libraries 

Private  libraries,  while  a  frequent  problem  for  archi- 
tects (in  the  United  States  there  were  over  a  hundred 
thousand  in  1870,  averaging  250  volumes  to  a  library, 
according  to  the  ninth  census)  have  not  much  to  interest 
librarians,  who  are  seldom  called  in  to  run  them.  A 
private  library  is  oftenest  a  more  or  less  casual  collec- 
tion for  the  use  of  the  owner  and  his  family.  Occasion- 
ally it  expresses  some  special  taste  in  reading  or 
collecting.  But  whatever  it  includes,  it  is  at  the  same 
time  a  store  room  and  a  reading  room  for  a  very  few 
persons,  as  it  was  in  old  Roman  times,  so  that  it  would 
be  fitting  for  the  architect  to  take  the  old  Roman  tone 
in  its  treatment,  the  tone  of  the  Vatican  library  in  minia- 
ture. Wall  shelving,  open  or  glassed  cases,  carvings,  free 
decoration,  busts  above  the  bookcases,  friezes,  whatever 
he  thinks  appropriate  and  cozy,  may  be  used  in  it. 

Gladstone  in  his  interesting  article  on  "Books  and 
the  Housing  of  Them"1  describes  an  arrangement  for 
twenty  thousand  volumes  (evidently  his  own  library) 
"all  visible,  all  within  easy  reach,  in  a  room  of  quite 
ordinary  size."  He  sketches  a  floor  plan  of  shallow  piers 
or  alcoves  all  around  a  room  20  x  40,  with  most  of  the 
centre  left  open  for  furniture.  This  plan  is  worth  look- 
ing up  by  an  architect  charged  with  planning  so  large 
a  private  or  club  library. 

127  Nineteenth  Century.  394. 


48  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

A  club  library  is  only  an  extension  of  the  private 
library  idea,  to  be  used  by  many  men  rather  than  by  a 
few.  Here  the  tone  may  be  the  same,  varied  perhaps 
by  the  first  formal  monastic  features. 

Here  alcoves  might  well  be  used,  with  no  rigid  steel 
stacks,  but  handsome  wooden  shelving. 

Just  few  enough  men  could  find  quiet  seats,  with  books 
all  around  them,  a  cozy  window  seat  with  a  leaded 
window  to  look  out  of,  not  too  many  other  readers  or 
busy  attendants  to  disturb  their  quiet  by  hunting  books 
on  the  neighboring  shelves. 

A  private  or  club  library  is  a  good  subject  for  an  archi- 
tect to  exploit,  taking  beautifully  bound  books  as  the 
key  to  his  ornamental  treatment.  Quiet,  artistic  lights 
are  appropriate,  rich  old  woods  and  decorative  rugs; 
everything  that  is  taboo  in  a  public  library.  The  key- 
notes should  be  rest,  comfort,  literary  cosiness,  private 
proprietorship;  if  anything  more,  refined  hospitality 
to  personal  friends. 


INTRODUCTION  49 


Proprietary,  Institutional 

Proprietary.  By  these  I  mean  what  might  be  called 
literary  clubs,  owned  in  shares,  and  supported  by  dues, 
like  Athenaeums.  Most  of  these  combine  some  of  the 
features  of  club  libraries,  and  the  reference  and  circu- 
lating functions  of  public  libraries.  Their  constituency 
is  smaller,  however,  more  select,  and  usually  has  a 
higher  degree  of  literary  taste.  In  building,  they  will 
usually  need  rather  more  of  the  home  or  club  atmos- 
phere than  other  classes  of  libraries,  and  much  less 
supervision.  Here,  for  instance,  the  alcove  and  the 
window-nook  might  properly  be  used  in  reading  rooms. 
The  readers  would  be  fewer,  even  in  busy  hours,  and 
more  homogeneous,  so  that  a  nervous  man  might  pre- 
empt an  alcove  or  a  window  seat  and  remain  for  hours 
comparatively  undisturbed  by  either  attendants  or  by 
other  readers.  Such  societies  will  rarely  build  until 
they  have  a  stable  membership,  many  books  and  an 
accomplished  librarian.  From  him  the  architect  can 
learn  the  characteristics  and  habits  of  the  members,  and 
can  begin  planning  by  studying  the  features  that  will 
please  them.  As  to  the  shelving  of  books,  the  admin- 
istration and  delivery,  their  problems  will  be  much  like 
other  libraries,  with  perhaps  more  open  access,  espe- 
cially to  the  new  books  for  circulation. 

The  old-fashioned  Mercantile  Library,  of  which  some 
survive  in  vigor,  is  similar  in  support,  but  more  demo- 
cratic in  membership,  and  ought  to  be  treated  architec- 
turally more  like  a  public  library,  without  children's 
rooms  or  such  social  science  features. 


50  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Institutional.  Under  this  group  I  would  include 
the  libraries  of  endowed  or  charitable  societies,  such  as 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations. 

If  these  are  wealthy  enough,  they  might  have  separate 
buildings  or  wings  or  stories  for  library  use.  Usually, 
however,  they  can  only  afford  to  set  aside  rooms  or 
suites  in  buildings  largely  devoted  to  other  purposes,  — • 
offices,  class  rooms,  lectures,  gymnasium.  In  such  case, 
the  library  should  be  carefully  planned  to  give  it  the 
best  frontage  and  light. 

Where  there  can  be  ample,  and  if  possible  sepa 
rate  elevator  service,  the  upper  floors,  with  some  light 
through  the  roof,  would  probably  offer  the  best  oppor- 
tunities. Rooms  elsewhere  in  the  building  would  give 
club  facilities,  so  that  feature  of  proprietary  libraries 
might  be  omitted.  The  usual  storage  for  books  and  good 
reference  and  light-reading-room  facilities  •  should  be 
provided.  If  teaching  is  prominent  in  the  plan  of  the 
institution,  something  like  seminar  rooms  in  colleges 
might  be  planned  near  the  library,  and  private  rooms 
teachers  and  advanced  students. 

The  administration  of  the  library  would  probably  be 
separate  from  that  of  other  departments.  The  library 
might  then  be  shut  off  from  the  rest  of  the  building 
by  sound-proof  partitions,  opening  from  a  main  corridor 
or  from  stairs  and  elevator,  so  as  to  be  quiet  and  com- 
plete in  itself. 


INTRODUCTION  51 


Professional 

This  group  might  be  sub-divided  into  scientific, 
medical,  theological,  law,  and  special  or  business;  each 
requiring  individual  treatment  and  the  advice  of  a 
librarian  of  mature  experience  in  just  that  specialty. 
Here  again  the  library  will  often  be  housed  only  in  a  room 
or  a  suite  of  rooms,  to  which  should  be  assigned  the  best 
possible  situation  in  the  building,  bearing  in  mind 
quiet,  light  and  easy  access.  The  users  will  be  so  select 
and  responsible  that  they  can  be  allowed  full  access 
to  the  shelves.  Their  use  will  be  like  that  of  pro- 
fessors or  graduate  students  in  a  university.  Wall 
shelving  around  rooms  in  which  there  are  tables  for 
readers;  or  where  many  books  have  to  be  assembled  in 
one  room,  shallow  alcoves  and  wall  shelving  opposite 
good  light  with  tables  near  the  windows;  would  be  suit- 
able arrangements  for  such  rooms,  with  a  minimum  of 
service  and  supervision,  and  of  florid  ornamentation. 
Where  a  separate  building  is  possible,  other  features 
might  be  added.  Then,  of  course,  general  considera- 
tions would  apply  as  to  storage  of  books,  administra- 
tion and  accommodation  of  readers. 

Scientific.  These  would  probably  be  libraries  of 
separate  or  affiliated  societies,  in  a  building  with  club 
features;  really  specialized  club  libraries,  for  members 
only.  They  would  be  reference  libraries  almost  entirely, 
without  much  circulation.  Alcoves  and  wall  shelving 
would  be  appropriate,  with  tables  and  racks  for  profes- 
sional periodicals,  and  facilities  for  writing,  without 
much  probability  of  a  great  rush  at  any  one  time. 


52  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Medical.  These  would  have  much  the  same  use  as 
scientific,  much  the  same  quarters,  much  the  same 
treatment.  They  would  generally  be  larger,  often  with 
separate  buildings.  Special  thought  would  have  to  be 
given  to  periodicals,  the  current  numbers  and  back  sets 
of  which  form  a  large  proportion  of  the  literature  of  this 
profession. 

There  were  only  thirty  medical  libraries  listed  in  the 
government  report  of  1876,  and  very  few  of  these  ap- 
peared to  have  separate  buildings.  It  would  seem 
appropriate,  in  this  class,  to  have  a  museum  in  the  same 
building  as  the  library,  to  illustrate  the  professional 
literature  graphically. 

Theological.  The  majority  of  such  libraries  would 
be  attached  to  schools  or  colleges  and  partake  of  the 
treatment  of  departments  in  universities.  There  are  a 
few  large  general  theological  libraries,  however,  with 
separate  buildings.  Quiet  study,  open  access,  slight 
supervision,  inexpensive  service,  are  their  requisites. 
In  theological  schools  it  may  be  desirable  to  have  class 
rooms  near  the  library. 

Separate  rooms  for  quiet  reading  and  writing  would 
always  be  a  convenience,  if  funds  allow. 

Where  much  attention  is  paid  to  the  older  literature 
of  theology,  a  special  provision  of  shelves  for  folios  and 
quartos  would  be  required. 

Special  and  Business.  As  these  libraries  have 
recently  formed  a  separate  society  or  section  of  the 
American  Library  Association,  they  evidently  have 
unique  subjects  to  discuss,  but  few  of  them  have  attained 
the  dignity  of  separate  buildings. 

They  generally  have  to  content  themselves  with  a 
suite  of  rooms.  Each  one  has  its  individual  character, 
and  can  be  ranked  perhaps  in  the  scientific  and  profes- 


INTRODUCTION  53 

sional  classes,  except  that  any  one  library  will  probably 
have  a  more  restricted  group  of  readers,  consisting  of 
the  partners  and  employees  of  the  maintaining  firm  or 
establishment. 

If  the  problem  of  providing  such  rooms  comes  to  an 
architect,  he  should  get  instructions  from  the  proprietor 
and  librarian  as  to  its  special  needs  in  shelving  and 
other  facilities. 

In  Chicago  especially,  where  part  of  expense  of  such 
libraries  is  sometimes  assumed  by  the  Public  Library, 
they  cover  a  wide  field  of  usefulness  and  assume  pro- 
portionate importance. 

Their  number  seems  likely  to  increase  rapidly  as  large 
firms  differentiate,  become  wealthy,  and  can  use  tech- 
nical libraries  for  the  solution  of  manufacturing  and 
commercial  questions  arising  so  frequently  in  every- 
day business  that  time  and  expense  can  be  saved  by 
having  their  own  books  handy  instead  of  getting  them 
from  more  public  libraries 


54:  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Law 

Literature  of  this  class  has  such  a  peculiar  use  that 
law  libraries  need  separate  treatment  and  merit  a  special 
chapter.  They  are  sometimes  small,  as  county  law 
libraries;  or  large  —  law-school,  bar,  city,  state.  They 
will  usually  be  assigned  to  rooms  in  state  capitols,  city 
halls,  or  court  houses,  and  trustees  should  exert  early 
and  strenuous  efforts  toward  getting  good  and  adequate 
locations  assigned  to  them. 

With  good  elevator  service,  it  is  certain  that  a  whole 
top  floor  of  the  building,  or  the  top  floors  of  a  roomy 
wing,  will  give  the  quietest,  lightest,  and  most  commo- 
dious quarters. 

As  both  the  study  and  practice  of  the  law  largely  rest 
on  precedents,  the  books  which  are  most  frequently 
cited  have  to  be  shelved  close  to  ample  table  or  desk 
facilities. 

No  matter  how  ample  these  are,  every  seat  is  apt  to 
be  filled  during  the  busy  hours  of  the  day. 

Lawyers  like  to  look  up,  pick  out,  and  themselves  take 
to  their  desks,  the  books  they  want  to  use,  and  therefore 
there  should  be  open  access  to  all  the  shelves. 

Alcoves  are  proper  here,  but  more  for  extending  shelf 
room  —  really  wide  open-access  floor  cases  —  than  for 
study,  which  is  better  at  tables. 

Space  enough  is  desirable  on  the  main  floor  for  all 
the  books  in  common  demand  and  for  most  of  the 
readers. 


INTRODUCTION  55 

The  quarters  recently  obtained  by  the  Social  Law 
Library  in  the  new  extension  of  the  court  house  in  Bos- 
ton, though  not  especially  erected  for  the  library,  are 
very  satisfactory.  They  comprise  a  long,  lofty  room, 
thoroughly  lighted  from  high  windows,  with  wall  and 
alcove  shelving  opposite  the  light;  with  gallery  possi- 
bilities for  future  growth;  an  opening  to  the  main  story 
of  a  stack;  and  a  few  rooms  for  hearings  and  quiet 
brief-making.  The  alcoves  are  wide  enough  for  passing, 
but  not  for  study  at  table.  The  long  tables  occupy  that 
half  of  the  length  of  the  room  which  adjoins  the  outer 
wall  and  have  ample  diffused  rather  than  direct  daylight 
from  windows  high  up  in  the  wall. 

One  thing  the  Boston  Social  Law  Library  could  not 
obtain  space  for,  and  which  would  be  very  desirable, 
is  a  sufficiency  of  private  study  rooms.  In  planning  for 
the  library,  a  circular  with  questions  was  sent  to  several 
large  law  libraries.  One  question  was,  "How  many 
private  rooms  could  you  use?"  All  answers  called  for 
several  rooms;  one  librarian  would  like  to  have  fifty. 

The  tendency  in  all  libraries  is  toward  ample  opportuni- 
ties for  quiet  study,  but  in  law  libraries,  authors,  inves- 
tigators, makers  of  briefs,  especially  need  privacy  and 
abstraction. 


56  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Government:  Historical 

U.  S.  Government.  Libraries  for  the  United  States 
government  are  generally  located  in  the  national  capitol. 
One  has  a  separate  building,  the  Library  of  Congress. 
The  others  are  attached  to  the  Departments  and  housed 
in  the  Department  Buildings. 

They  may  be  treated  much  as  law  libraries  are; 
indeed  a  large  part  of  each  of  them  constitutes  a  law 
library.  Set  aside  for  them  well-lighted  rooms  with 
a  good  aspect,  in  a  quiet  part  of  the  building.  If  the 
rooms  are  as  lofty  as  the  floors  of  the  ordinary  depart- 
ment building  require,  arrange  for  a  two  or  three-story 
steel  stack.  There  will  be  limited  service  to  be  pro- 
vided for,  limited  circulation,  and  a  rather  limited 
and  well-defined  storage. 

A  special  problem  may  soon  come,  in  the  form  of 
legislation  for  a  Supreme  Court  building,  which  must  cer- 
tainly provide  for  the  consultation  library  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  perhaps  for  a  great  part  of  the  Congressional 
Law  Library.  In  the  first  instance,  the  collocation  of 
court  room,  consultation  room,  judges'  private  apart- 
ments, and  library,  will  have  to  be  carefully  studied. 
If  the  main  law  library  is  to  come  to  the  new  building, 
it  will  preponderate  architecturally,  with  the  necessary 
reading  and  study  rooms  for  the  bar.  Strong  common 
sense,  and  able  library  and  juridical  advice,  will  be  re- 
quired to  avoid  smothering  the  very  definite  uses  of  such 
a  building  in  architectural  embellishments. 

State.  Each  state  in  the  American  Union  has 
at  least  one  "state  library"  at  the  capital,  usually  in  the 
capitol,  maintained  at  public  charge  primarily  for  the 


INTRODUCTION  57 

use  of  state  officers,  legislators  and  courts.  Latterly 
they  have  become  also  central  reference  libraries  for 
schools,  colleges  and  citizens  throughout  the  state,  and 
traveling  library  centers,  requiring  special  facilities  for 
these  services.  They  also  require  storage  for  public 
documents  - —  very  near  dead  literature,  fit  for  close 
and  perhaps  dark  storage.  The  growth  of  state  libra- 
ries is  phenomenal,  largely  from  exchange  of  documents 
with  other  states  and  the  United  States,  an  immense  and 
rapidly  increasing  literature  (quadrupling  every  twenty- 
five  years)  which  must  be  shelved  in  some  form. 

"There  must  be  a  division  of  a  state  library  into  law, 
documents,  and  miscellaneous,  with  a  separate  building 
for  law  and  documents.  ...  I  am  inclined  to  see  the 
ideal  state  library  as  a  great  warehouse  building.  I 
want  a  dignified,  simple,  fireproof  building;  with  heat, 
light,  ventilation,  conveniences  for  work,  the  very  best 
that  can  be  made,  and  without  a  dollar  for  elaborate  dis- 
play." —  Johnson  Brigham,  State  librarian  of  Iowa.1 

In  building  new  state  capitols,  and  in  replacing  old 
ones,  there  is  considerable  work  ahead.  In  such  an 
impressive  and  dignified  building  as  the  people  want, 
the  real  needs  of  departments  of  the  government,  espe- 
cially of  the  library,  get  scant  consideration.  To  the 
library  is  often  assigned  some  part  of  a  prominent 
wing  whose  features,  height  of  stories,  size  and  arrange- 
ment of  windows,  style  of  shelving  and  furniture,  are 
largely  governed  by  supposed  exigencies  of  the  exterior, 
developed  before  the  interior  has  been  planned.  It  will 
require  superhuman  effort  on  the  part  of  librarian  to 
get  model  library  quarters  into  such  environment,  but 
tact,  early  work,  and  persistence  can  often  ameliorate 
conditions.  Galleries  and  alcoves  you  will  probably 
have  to  accept  and  do  the  best  you  can  with,  but  it  is 
1  30  L.  J.  Conf.  250. 


58  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

open  to  some  daring  architect  to  build  a  stack  in  full 
sight,  occupying  the  back  half  of  the  inevitable  high 
room,  with  stack  windows  on  the  outside,  giving  an  organ 
tone  to  the  facade,  and  an  open  stack  front  within  to 
give  a  similar  tone  to  the  interior. 

Separate  Library  Buildings.  Large  states  have 
already  begun  to  give  separate  buildings  to  their  general 
or  at  least  to  their  law  libraries  (see  Law}.  Such  a 
segregation  is  to  be  commended,  if  space  and  money  can 
be  afforded,  for  here  the  library  problems  can  be 
treated  without  prejudice,  unhampered  by  traditions 
of  American  State  Capitol  Architecture. 

"I  am  sure  I  would  never  put  the  State  Library  in  the 
Capitol.  The  number  of  books  the  state  legislature  and 
officers  use  is  very  limited."  —  Dewey.1 

Simple  construction,  appropriate  fenestration,  inte- 
rior planning  beforehand  with  definite  purposes,  disre- 
gard of  outside  flights  of  steps  and  porticos,  compres- 
sion of  inside  passages  to  a  minimum,  quiet  and  restful 
shape  and  coloring,  may  yet  produce  buildings  both 
useful  and  beautiful,  which  people  of  taste  will  ccme 
thousands  of  miles  to  see.  Here  is  a  fertile  field  for  state 
librarians,  state  commissions,  and  talented  architects. 

Historical.  Though  not  always  on  the  same  grounds 
as  the  state  library,  most  such  libraries  are  situated  at 
the  capitol,  and  have  similar  characteristics.  They 
ought  surely  to  have  dignity  and  nobility  of  style,  as  they 
have  in  subject.  They  are  entirely  reference  libraries, 
and  should  have  preponderant  accommodations  for 
students  and  investigators,  but  in  proportion  to  their 
size  they  have  needs  as  to  storage  of  books  and  for 
readers,  very  like  those  of  other  reference  libraries.  So  far 
as  they  include  antiquities,  they  need  museum  rooms  and 
1  30  L.  J.  Conf.  248. 


INTRODUCTION  59 

corridors  in  their  buildings,  usually  assembly  and  lecture 
rooms,  and  always  large  fireproof  safe  rooms  or  vaults. 
See  full  floor  plans  of  the  Wisconsin  State  Histor- 
ical Society  Building.  —  Adams.1 

Genealogical  and  Antiquarian.  So  far  as  libraries 
are  called  distinctly  antiquarian  rather  than  historical, 
the  museum  function  increases.  Antiquities,  even 
strictly  literary,  require  different  treatment  from  books. 
Glass  doors  for  larger  wall  cases,  glass  cases  for  manu- 
scripts and  incunabula,  merit  wider  corridors  and  rooms 
of  different  proportions,  with  different  lighting.  There 
must  be  more  screens  and  free  wall  room  for  maps, 
engravings  and  pictures.  There  must  be  different  ser- 
vice and  supervision. 

Genealogy  has  become  such  a  favorite  fad,  and  has 
so  many  societies  which  foster  it,  that  separate  space, 
perhaps  separate  buildings,  will  have  to  be  provided  for 
it.  The  features  of  such  buildings,  however,  need  have 
no  marked  distinction  from  historical  and  antiquarian 
libraries. 

1  p.  193. 


60  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Educational 

The  library  needs  of  all  these  educational  institutions 
are  similar.  It  has  been  said  that  there  are  three 
classes  to  be  considered,  —  professors,  graduate  or  ad- 
vanced students,  and  undergraduates. 

The  ordinary  youthful  students  do  not  get  much  time 
for  general  reading  and  do  not  need  unrestricted  access 
to  all  the  shelves.  If  they  can  get  at  general  and  special 
reference  books,  their  own  text-books,  and  the  books 
recommended  by  their  instructors,  it  is  all  they  want. 

The  professors  and  teachers,  however,  and  to  a  certain 
extent  advanced  students,  may  wish  to  browse  anywhere, 
and  can  be  trusted  to  go  anywhere.  They  want  facilities 
for  examining  and  selecting  books  in  the  stacks,  they 
want  quiet  rooms  to  take  books  to  (perhaps  several  books) 
where  they  can  read,  copy  and  write. 

The  professors  want  department  and  "seminar"  rooms, 
shelved  sometimes  for  permanent  sub-libraries  of  their 
own  technical  books,  always  for  books  of  present  use 
in  their  daily  classes.  They  also  like  to  have  individual 
rooms  for  study,  and  for  their  records. 

The  relation  of  these  rooms  to  the  general  library  is 
the  peculiar  and  pressing  problem  of  scholastic  library 
building.  Dr.  Canfield  said  that  the  question,  shall  de- 
partmental libraries  be  included  in  the  building  of  the 
general  library?  has  not  two  sides,  but  a  dozen. 

School  Libraries.  These  should  not  perhaps  be 
treated  here,  as  they  rarely,  perhaps  never,  have  separate 
buildings.  But  as  schools  rise  in  grade,  or  are  grouped 
in  large  buildings,  their  libraries  may  attain  size  and 
individual  character,  and  the  rooms  assigned  to  them 


INTRODUCTION  61 

need  careful  planning.  Good  light  first,  with  cheerful 
aspect;  an  accessible  central  position;  wall  shelving, 
combined  perhaps  with  shallow  alcoves  opposite  windows; 
spaces  and  tables  for  teachers  and  for  scholars  of  different 
grades;  a  central  space  for  general  reference  books, 
an  attendant,  and  what  passing  to  and  fro  is  necessary; 
as  good  artificial  light  as  the  classrooms,  —  these  would 
seem  obvious  desiderata. 

College.  Colleges  and  universities  vary  little  except 
in  size,  and  perhaps  in  the  proportion  advanced  investi- 
gation and  large  departments  bear  to  prescribed  under- 
graduate study. 

Rather  open  stacks,  with  carrels,  would  be  preferable 
in  a  college;  a  good  general  reading  room,  or  a  suite  of 
rooms  slightly  differentiated;  nooks  and  private  desks, 
with  a  private  room  or  rooms  for  professors;  wall  shelv- 
ing in  professors',  class  or  seminar  rooms,  with  shallow 
alcoves  or  floor  cases  at  end  of  rooms  for  possibilities 
of  enlargement. 

Simple,  central,  inexpensive  administration,  with  tubes 
or  telephones  to  different  rooms  and  departments;  a 
central  position  in  the  college  group  or  building,  ample 
provision  for  growth,  as  gifts  come  in  —  these  points 
suggest  themselves. 

At  the  St.  Louis  Conference  in  1889,  a  suggestion  was 
made  that  inasmuch  as  the  library  is  the  heart  of  a 
university,  it  should  be  given  a  central  position  from 
which  the  other  buildings  should  radiate.1 

University.  Many  universities  are  so  large  that 
most  of  their  problems  have  been  suggested  in  the 
chapter  on  Very  Large  Libraries. 

Here  the  question  of  seminar  or  department  libraries 
becomes  acute.  In  some  respects  it  is  analogous  to  that  of 
branches  to  a  public  library,  but  it  is  far  more  complicated. 
1  Stanley,  14  L.  J.  264. 


62  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

How  many  departments  are  to  be  provided  for;  how 
far  can  they  be  served  from  the  main  library;  if  they 
are  to  have  separate  libraries,  how  large  should  these 
be ;  do  they  need  permanent  libraries,  or  only  books  sent 
from  time  to  time;  how  far  shall  they  duplicate  the 
contents  of  the  central  library;  how  far  shall  they  have 
department  librarians  under  control  of  the  general 
librarian?  All  these  questions  affect  the  planning  of 
buildings. 

Law  and  medicine  generally  have  separate  buildings 
and  separate  administration.  As  to  other  departments, 
systems  vary  in  universities.  Indeed,  no  two  seem  to 
have  the  same  system.  The  one  adopted  at  Brown  is 
simple,  inexpensive,  efficient.  This  assigns  all  the  de- 
partments to  a  separate  building,  not  far  from  the  cen- 
tral library,  and  connected  with  it  by  telephone,  tunnel, 
and  mechanical  carrier.  This  building  has  a  central 
room  for  one  attendant.  Round  him  are  grouped  the 
reference  books  needed  by  all  departments,  and  any 
professor,  through  him,  can  call  books  at  will  from  the 
delivery  desk  at  the  main  library.  In  this  arrangment 
each  department  can  have  its  own  shelving,  and  its 
head  can  have  an  adjoining  private  room,  with  con- 
venient storage  for  his  own  books  and  papers. 

A  system,  some  variety  of  which  seems  common,  pro- 
vides wings  or  galleries  on  various  floors  for  the  seminar 
rooms,  more  or  less  conveniently  served  from  the  main 
library. 

Other  universities  have  their  departments  dotted 
around  the  grounds,  wherever  they  happen  to  have  been 
placed  from  time  to  time,  without  apparent  reference 
to  the  library,  and  served  from  it  only  by  messenger. 

Others  have  seminar  rooms  built  in  various  forms 
near  the  library  building,  with  bridges  or  arcades  between, 
by  which  they  have  access  to  their  own  branch  of  litera- 
ture, stored  in  an  adjacent  part  of  the  library. 


INTRODUCTION  63 

Others  again  have  rooms  fitted  more  or  less  cleverly 
into  the  body  or  corners  of  a  general  stack.  A  very 
convenient  location  would  be  a  special  seminar 
story  over  the  stack,  with  both  top  and  side  light, 
which  would  allow  a  large  number  of  rooms  of  any 
required  sizes. 

Without  the  seminar  complication,  Mr.  Patton1  is 
perhaps  right  in  saying  that  the  college  library  presents 
a  simpler  problem  than  the  public  library,  for  it  has  less 
circulation,  and  no  children  to  deal  with;  but  with  it, 
especially  on  a  large  scale,  this  is  one  of  the  most  per- 
plexing puzzles  of  library  planning. 

Mr.  Patton  also  suggests  2  that  the  best  location  for 
a  college  library  is  one  that  does  net-require  architectural 
fagades  on  all  sides,  and  that  a  slope  backwards  has 
advantages.  The  same  may  be  said  of  many  other 
kinds  of  libraries. 

In  a  recent  number  of  the  Popular  Science  Monthly3 
it  is  suggested  that  a  university  might  be  built  in  a 
compact  group,  with  a  common  facade,  as  beautiful 
as  possible;  offices  and  lecture  rooms  to  be  directly 
behind  this  show  front;  the  library  occupying  a 
central  position  further  back,  flanked  by  the  de- 
partments, all  connected  and  all  built  on  "the  unit 
plan"  for  easy  enlargement  sideways,  endways,  up, 
or  down. 

In  recent  projects,  there  seems  to  be  a  tendency  toward 
schemes  for  a  college  group,  evolved  evidently  not  from 
the  use  of  the  several  buildings,  but  from  desire  for  archi- 
tectural harmony.  Those  interested  in  the  library  should 
strive  to  have  it  omitted  from  any  such  general  scheme, 
and  relegated  to  any  modest  position  in  the  background, 
where  its  details  could  be  worked  out  without  any  such 
exterior  bias. 

1  32  L.  J.  266.  *  Id.  273.  3  Quoted  15  P.  L.  432. 


64  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

The  position  of  the  general  reading  room  is  another 
major  problem.  In  a  small  college  it  can  be  put,  as  a 
single  room  or  a  suite,  almost  anywhere  within  easy 
reach,  near  the  main  entrance,  and  preferably  on  the 
main  floor.  In  a  large  university  a  one-story  ground 
floor  room  in  the  center  of  the  building,  just  back  of  the 
main  entrance,  not  too  high  (lest  the  roof  cut  off  too 
much  light  from  the  lower  windows  of  the  wings  opening 
on  the  courtyard),  would  seem  to  be  a  good  location. 

Administration  rooms,  as  in  other  libraries,  should  be 
central,  well  lighted,  suitably  collocated,  and  quiet. 
The  delivery  desk  would  better  be  separate  from  the 
reading  room,  unless  it  could  be  combined  with  the 
service  desk  in  that  room,  and  so  placed  toward 
the  entrance  end  or  side  as  not  to  let  the  stir  and 
noise  disturb  readers. 

Where  to  put  the  catalog  cases  adjoining  both  de- 
partments, with  good  light,  is  usually  another  puzzle 
inviting  study. 


INTRODUCTION  65 


Public  Libraries 

"For  the  American  people  the  library  of  the  future 
is  unquestionably  the  free  public  library,  established 
with  private  or  public  funds,  and  maintained  wholly 
or  in  part  at  public  expense  under  municipal  control." 
• — •  Fletcher.1 

"The  'public  library'  is  established  by  state  laws,  sup- 
ported by  local  taxation  and  voluntary  gifts,  and  managed 
as  a  public  trust.  It  is  not  a  library  simply  for  scholars, 
but  for  the  whole  community,  the  mechanic,  the  laborer, 
the  youth,  for  all  who  desire  to  read,  whatever  be  their 
rank  or  condition  in  life."  —  William  F.  Pooled 

"The  library  of  the  immediate  future  for  the  American 
people  is  unquestionably  the  free  public  library,  brought 
under  municipal  ownership  and  control  and  treated  as 
part  of  the  educational  system."  —Dana,  L.  P.3 

The  building  of  the  public  library  must  recognize  and 
serve  these  noble  aims.  The  idea  of  public  libraries  is 
as  old  as  Rome;  their  aims  are  essentially  modern  in 
their  democracy. 

"Modern  ideas  of  the  functions  of  a  public  library 
are, — lending  books  for  home  use;  free  access  to  the 
shelves;  cheerful  and  homelike  surroundings;  rooms  for 
children;  co-operation  with  schools;  long  hours  of 
opening;  the  extension  of  branch -library  systems  and 
traveling  libraries;  lectures  and  exhibits;  the  thousand 
and  one  activities  that  distinguish  the  modern  library 
from  its  more  passive  predecessor."  — Bostwick* 
lp.  110.  2  P.  L.  1876,  477.  3  p.  13.  4  p.  2. 


66  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  impulse  of  these  ideas  should  be  practically  felt 
in  the  planning  of  buildings.  Precedents,  models,  the 
fetters  of  architectural  style,  must  be  thrown  aside 
where  they  impede  or  hamper  progress.  Architecture 
must  march  side  by  side  with  Library  Science  —  should 
even  lead  it  and  show  it  the  most  effective  ways  to  work 
out  the  new  idea. 

In  the  first  place,  "cheerful  and  homelike  surroundings" 
do  not  accord  with  lofty  rooms,  vast  halls,  and  heavy 
architecture;  and  dazzling  decoration  must  not  repel 
the  man  in  a  working  suit. 

Popular  features  should  not  entirely  banish  books  and 
accommodations  for  students.  "  Every  public  library 
should  be  a  library  of  study.  Besides  professional  scholars 
and  teachers,  even  authors  or  editors  among  residents, 
there  are  students  in  the  higher  schools,  university 
extension  students,  members  of  literary  clubs,  cultivated 
college  graduates,  lawyers,  clergymen,  who  should  find 
congenial  facilities  in  a  building  meant  for  the  whole 
community."  —  Fletcher.1 

On  the  other  hand,  it  would  be  a  shame  to  let  such 
serious  reading  and  literature  crowd  out  any  popular  or 
educational  features,  or  take  an  undue  share  of  the 
construction  or  maintenance  funds. 

What  should  be  especially  planned  for,  is  inviting  and 
cozy  provision  for  the  ambitious  young  men  or  women 
who  want  to  educate  themselves  either  by  general 
reading,  or  by  the  special  literature  of  their  occu- 
pation in  life;  and  for  the  tired  women  whether  house- 
keepers, workers  or  idlers,  who  can  find  in  books  or 
magazines  or  papers  relaxation  and  recreation  from 
their  home  burdens. 

Children's  rooms,  now  always  a  principal  feature  to 
be  planned,  will  have  a  separate  chapter. 

1  p.  73. 


INTRODUCTION  67 

Branch.  The  branch  library,  as  distinguished  from 
distributing  or  delivery  stations,  has  its  own  building, 
and  deserves  as  careful  study  as  the  main  library  in  a 
small  city.  Branches  vary  from  merely  local  stations 
relying  on  main  libraries  for  most  of  the  administrative 
work,  to  branches  practically  independent.  The  problem 
of  branch  libraries  has  come  into  prominence  recently, 
especially  since  Carnegie  h'as  made  so  many  gifts  in 
this  direction.  Most  of  them  fall  into  the  "small" 
grade,  but  in  large  cities  many  rise  to  the  "moderate" 
and  even  "medium"  figures.  One  branch  library  in 
Philadelphia,  with  special  endowment,  cost  $800,000, 
but  that  is  very  exceptional. 

The  first  question  is  site.  Good  authorities  say  that 
there  ought  to  be  branches  about  a  mile  apart ;  one,  that 
is,  within  half  a  mile's  walk  of  any  family.  Crunden 
says,1  "The  ideal  would  be  to  have  a  branch  library  as 
often  as  we  have  a  public  school."  The  average  con- 
stituency of  branches  in  Great  Britain  is  said  to  be 
60,000.  In  this  country  it  has  been  suggested  that 
there  ought  to  be  one  for  every  40,000  dense  population, 
or  one  to  25,000  in  opener  districts.  But  there  can  be 
no  invariable  rule.  Circumstances  differ  as  well  as 
available  funds. 

Chas.  W.  Sutton  of  Manchester,  in  an  article  on 
branch  libraries,2  summarizes:  — 

"There  should  be  a  lending  library  for  every  40,000 
in  close  populations,  25,000  or  30,000  in  scattered 
communities. 

"Placed  on  car  lines  in  the  thick  of  the  population. 

"Not  more  than  a  mile  apart. 

"Never  more  than  15,000  volumes  in  stock. 

"A  majority  consider  10,000  volumes  a  great  suffi- 
ciency even  in  a  large  city  branch.3 

1 24  L.  J.  Conf.  153.  2  6  The  Libr.  Asso.  Rec.  67. 

3  5  The  Libr.  Asso.  Rec.  501. 


68  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"No  library  with  less  income  than  $7,500  should 
try  branches.  It  would  be  cheaper  to  pay  borrowers' 
carfares  to  and  from  the  main  library." 

See  Bostwick,  "Branches  and  Stations."  l 

A  good  general  rule  is  to  watch  neighborhoods,  especially 
outlying  districts,  and  notice  where  schools  or  fire 
department  buildings  are  demanded,  and  where  little 
groups  of  local  stores  spring  up.  These  groups  usually 
form  in  the  most  accessible  localities  in  new  districts. 
It  has  been  said  that  branches  in  residence  quarters 
are  more  used  than  those  in  business  centers.  This 
is  undoubtedly  true  of  business  sections  in  large 
cities,  but,  nevertheless,  even  locations  in  residence 
quarters  should  be  chosen  for  ready  access,  and 
ready  access  with  local  demands  has  already  selected 
such  locations  for  stores  in  smaller  places.  A  lot 
near  a  schoolhouse  is  always  good:  it  is  handy  for 
the  children. 

Like  other  small  libraries,  branches  have  to  be  planned 
for  easy  supervision  and  economical  service,  hence,  all 
departments  should  be  on  one  floor,  with  high  basement, 
if  possible,  for  janitor,  heating,  toilet,  and  possible  social 
service  functions,  like  classes  and  lectures.  Provide  for 
delivery,  a  few  quick-reference  books,  and  a  limited 
stock  of  books  to  be  lent. 

The  number  of  books  to  be  shelved  will  vary  with  the 
constituency,  from  2,000  to  15,000  volumes  —  the  fewer 
the  better.  When  once  settled,  no  growth  need  be  pro- 
vided for,  as  disused  books  can  be  sent  back  to  the  cen- 
tral library  from  time  to  time,  to  make  place  for  new 
books.  Nor  will  administration  grow  largely.  But 
growth  in  the  parts  allotted  to  different  kinds  of  reading, 
to  children,  and  to  social  service  functions  must  be  pro- 
vided for,  inside  the  building  preferably. 

1  Chap.  XVIII,  p.  233. 


INTRODUCTION  69 

Corners,  or  railed-off  parts  of  rooms,  will  separate 
periodicals  and  other  light  reading  from  children,  refer- 
ence books  and  delivery  desk.  Readers  should  be  able 
to  choose  books  and  help  themselves  by  absolutely  open 
access,  to  minimize  cost  of  service.  Very  little  pro- 
vision need  be  made  for  serious  readers,  who  can  be 
referred  to  the  central  library.  If  any  cataloguing  is 
to  be  done  at  the  branch,  a  librarian's  room  must  be 
provided.  If  not,  and  there  is  only  one  attendant,  an 
enclosed  delivery  desk  is  enough,  and  the  space  usually 
taken  up  by  a  librarian's  room  can  be  given  to  books  or 
readers. 

The  conditions  in  city  branches  will  be  very  similar 
to  those  in  small  towns,  with  perhaps  less  of  the  neigh- 
borhood club,  and  more  of  the  social  service  idea,  with- 
out any  problems  of  increased  storage  of  books,  and  with 
more  difficulties  in  foreseeing  changes. 

As  to  cost,  a  report  to  the  city  of  New  York  recom- 
mended $5,000  for  small  branches,  and  up  to  $10,000 
for  large  ones.  But  in  Brooklyn  and  other  cities,  sepa- 
rate branches  for  sections  as  large  as,  and  situated  like, 
suburban  towns,  have  cost  as  high  as  $150,000. 

A  very  interesting  case  of  establishing  several  branches  at 
once  may  be  found  in  a  description  of  the  Brooklyn  plan.1 

In  New  York  city,  to  get  more  branches  than  could 
be  afforded  in  buying  expensive  sites,  and  to  get  them 
where  they  were  wanted,  single  buildings  in  the  midst 
of  blocks  have  been  taken. 

In  England,  many  of  the  newer  branches  include 
"social  center"  functions,  not  only  ladies',  boys',  rate- 
payers', conversation,  and  attendants'  tea  rooms,  but 
even  in  one  case  a  restaurant,  which  is  expected  "to 
provide  a  large  share  of  the  cost  of  maintenance." 

See  Bindery,  p.  253. 

See  Bostwick,  under  Rooms  for  Classes,  p.  325,  prox. 
!28L.  J.  113. 


70  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Suburban.  Suburban  libraries  differ  on  the  one 
hand  from  country  libraries  in  remote  regions,  and  on 
the  other  from  branches  in  cities.  They  are  near  enough 
for  "team  work"  with  the  library  system  of  the  city 
in  whose  suburbs  they  lie,  but  they  serve  an  independ- 
ent community,  often  jealous  of  its  privileges.  They 
have  not  quite  the  problems  of  growth  of  the  country 
library,  because  they  can  have  an  inter-library  loan 
system  with  the  city  libraries,  or  can  arrange  to  refer 
to  them  many  inquirers  and  students.  This  possibility 
may  limit  the  size  and  expense  of  their  buildings,  and 
the  necessity  of  providing  for  unlimited  growth. 


INTRODUCTION  71 


Exceptional  Cases 

Middle  of  Blocks.  Occasionally,  as  with  the  pres- 
ent Cincinnati  Public  Library,  and  with  the  New  York 
City  branch  libraries,  circumstances  require  the  loca- 
tion of  the  building  in  a  block.  Of  course  this  necessity 
is  a  handicap.  The  problem  of  giving  all  the  depart- 
ments good  positions  and  full  light  is  difficult  when  there 
is  space  all  round  the  four  walls,  but  when  both  side 
walls  are  blank,  ingenuity  is  required  in  providing  all 
the  requisites  for  every  department.  Natural  light 
everywhere  is  impossible,  and  artificial  light  must  be 
largely  relied  on.  Whatever  features  (like  closets  and 
stairs  where  there  are  no  books  to  be  picked  out  or 
read)  can  be  assigned  to  the  middle  or  waist  of  each 
floor,  will  leave  more  chance  for  front  and  rear  use  of 
clear  daylight.  The  top  floor  can  be  all  utilized  with 
top  light.  A  light  well  from  the  center  of  the  roof  will 
mitigate  the  dimness  of  illumination  on  staircases  and 
entries.  The  experience  of  New  York  is  valuable  for 
such  problems,  and  would  doubtless  be  freely  available. 
But  it  is  a  good  rule  to  avoid  such  locations,  if  possible. 

Top  Floors.  Exigencies  of  income  may  require  a 
Board  to  rent  part  of  their  building,  as  in  the  case  of 
many  of  the  "Mercantile"  libraries  which  still  survive. 
While  the  St.  Louis  Public  was  a  school-board  library, 
it  had  this  experience.  In  these  days  of  roomy  and  rapid 
elevators,  such  a  necessity  is  not  so  bad  as  it  seems, 
especially  if  one  or  two  rooms  in  a  public  library  could 
be  left  on  the  ground  floor.  At  the  top  there  is  usually 
good  air,  comparative  quiet,  coolness,  and  light,  even 
in  smoky  cities.  Modern  methods  of  construction  carry 


72  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

great  weights  safely,  and  it  is  possible  to  plan  service 
and  reading  rooms  on  the  top  floor  with  one  or  two- 
story  stacks  beneath,  giving  fine  accommodations  with 
good  business  suites  earning  income,  on  floors  beneath. 
Separate  elevators  for  business  and  for  library  purposes 
are,  however,  essential. 

Museums  or  Art   Galleries  in  Same    Building. 

There  is  so  rarely  enough  money  available  to  allow 
as  much  room  as  the  library  wants,  and  there  is 
usually  so  much  friction  in  operating  more  than  one 
institution  under  one  roof,  that  while  there  is  general 
belief  in  the  value  of  museums  and  galleries  as  public 
undertakings,  there  is  great  unanimity  among  American 
librarians  that  they  are  better  apart.  Few  librarians 
with  us  have  the  training  which  would  fit  them  to 
undertake  the  superintendence  of  such  different  depart- 
ments, and  fewer  still  would  like  to  be  superintended 
by  a  musician  or  scientist.  Yet,  if  together  in  one 
building,  there  should  be  one  superior  officer  for  all,  even 
if  he  be  called  only  custodian.  The  difficulties  of  plan- 
ning a  building  to  provide  properly  and  amply  for  more 
than  one  of  these  three  functions  are  just  three  times 
the  puzzle  of  planning  for  one.  Where  a  city  wants  to 
try  it,  or  a  donor  insists  on  it,  it  is  far  better  to  plan 
a  group  of  three  buildings  on  one  large  lot,  with  such 
connection  by  arcades  as  would  give  a  pleasing  archi- 
tectural bond,  without  shutting  out  any  light,  at  least 
from  the  library. 

Those  who  are  interested  in  such  combinations  are 
referred  to  the  English  library  books  and  magazines, 
passim.  The  union  of  libraries  and  museums  in  England, 
indeed,  is  so  common  as  to  be  recognized  in  the  Library 
Acts.  If  art  or  other  exhibitions  are  a  feature  of  the 
library  management,  they  can  be  provided  for  as  sug- 
gested under  the  head  of  exhibitions  elsewhere. 


INTRODUCTION  73 

Alterations  and  Enlargements.  Often  existing 
residences  or  halls  are  presented  for  library  use.  The 
proverb,  "Never  look  a  gift-horse  in  the  mouth," 
does  not  apply  in  such  cases.  The  gift  building  ought  to 
be  examined  all  over  by  experts  —  an  expert  librarian 
and  an  architect,  if  possible  —  before  it  is  accepted. 
It  will  often  be  found  to  cost  more  for  alteration,  before 
the  old  building  can  be  quite  suited  to  library  purposes, 
than  a  plain  but  satisfactory  new  building  would  cost. 
Certainly  it  is  unwise  to  hamper  library  efficiency  out 
of  a  sentimental  regard  for  a  donor,  alive  or  dead. 

If  the  building  is  found  susceptible  of  inexpensive 
alterations,  which  would  render  it  entirely  suitable  for 
such  work  as  the  library  wants  to  do,  it  will  evidently 
be  unwise  to  trust  the  task  to  an  architect,  inexperienced 
in  library  alterations,  or  even  to  the  advice  of  an  im- 
mature librarian.  Here,  if  ever,  is  there  need,  from 
the  side  of  economy  as  well  as  the  side  of  utility,  of  a 
wise  library  expert,  for  fear  of  making  a  botch. 

So  in  making  alterations  in  an  old  library  building 
which  requires  enlargement,  do  not  accept  the  hasty 
suggestions  of  even  the  most  ingenious  and  confident 
trustee,  or  the  prentice  plans  of  a  callow  librarian  or  a 
young  architect.  Get  the  best  plan  you  can  secure 
from  the  best  authorities.  The  best  will  be  none  too 
good  for  you.  Justice  to  your  successors  and  to  the 
next  generation  requires  the  utmost  care  in  piece  work. 

See  an  article  by  Miss  Annie  B.  Jackson,1  on  items 
and  expense  of  alterations  at  North  Adams,  Mass. 
The  repairs  there  proved  to  outrun  the  estimate. 

When  you  get  your  tentative  plans  and  your  rough 
estimates,  get  also  a  rough  estimate  for  a  new  building. 
You  will  often  be  surprised  to  find  how  near  the  cost  of 

1  25  L.  J.  105. 


74  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

alterations  will  come  to  that  of  building.  If  it  turns 
out  so,  better  wait  and  get  your  ideal  rather  than  patch 
up  a  makeshift. 

But  if,  after  deliberation,  you  vote  to  alter,  there  is 
one  wise  end  to  aim  at,  that  is,  to  spend  as  small  a  part 
of  your  available  funds  for  mere  alteration,  and  as  large 
a  part  for  features  which  could  be  utilized  later  for  a 
permanent  building,  as  may  be  possible.  Witness,  for 
instance,  the  recent  experience  of  the  Salem  Public 
Library.1  They  had  pressing  need  of  more  room,  but 
could  use  only  $70,000  for  changes,  not  enough  for  such 
a  new  building  as  they  wanted,  or  could  afford  while 
they  had  a  perfectly  sound  old  residence  to  use.  But 
by  ingenious  planning,  they  have  been  able  to  get  a 
stack  with  an  administration  head  house,  to  which  they 
can  add  later  a  main  building  when  they  need  further 
enlargement.  They  have  spent  a  minimum  in  tempo- 
rary changes  on  their  old  dwelling-house,  and  have 
besides  retained  enough  money  to  build  a  branch  library. 

Altering  New  Buildings.  It  is  not  only  old  build- 
ings that  need  altering.  Too  frequently  a  good  libra- 
rian, alive  to  progress,  and  faced  with  the  problems  of 
growth,  finds  himself  promoted  to  a  beautiful  building 
of  such  recent  erection  as  to  be  financially  exhausted, 
and  indisposed  to  spend  money  in  necessary  additions 
or  alterations.  The  question  confronts  him,  how  get 
more  room  with  the  least  cost? 

In  this  fix,  he  will  first  look  inside  and  see  where  he 
can  house  more  books,  more  readers,  more  attendants. 
Here  shortcomings  of  the  architect  may  perhaps  afford 
him  at  least  temporary  relief.  The  most  likely  fault  he 
finds  will  be  wasted  space,  perpendicularly  or  laterally. 
Two  faults  are  bad;  they  cannot  even  be  converted  into 
virtues.  These  are  domes  and  ornamental  staircases. 
1 37  L.  J.  135. 


INTRODUCTION  75 

Domes,  to  be  sure,  can  be  circled  with  galleries  to  which 
unused  books  can  be  sent  —  a  very  brief  palliative. 
And  elevators  or  lifts  may  be  cut  into  stairs.  But  such 
makeshifts  will  not  serve. 

More  opportunities  may  be  discovered  in  spacious 
vestibules,  in  wide  corridors,  in  lofty  stories.  The  vesti- 
bules and  corridors  can  be  narrowed  to  simply  useful 
width,  and  their  exuberance  partitioned  off  into  rooms. 
Mezzanine  floors  can  also  utilize  waste  upper  spaces. 

If  money  cannot  be  found  for  partitions  and  floors, 
for  iron  and  wood  and  paint,  I  see  a  good  use  for  sliding 
cases,  in  the  form  Professor  Little  has  at  Bowdoin  • — 
just  two  or  more  stories  of  this  contrivance,  set  out  in 
the  corner  or  at  the  side  or  in  the  middle  of  any  use- 
less stretch  of  floor. 

Tables  and  chairs  can  invite  an  overflow  of  readers 
in  any  space  not  needed  for  passage ;  temporary  wooden 
shelving  can  be  set  against  any  corridor  wall;  adminis- 
tration desks  can  be  protruded  into  any  architectural 
waste.  When  you  go  to  Washington,  see  what  Mr. 
Bowerman  has  done  at  the  Public  Library  there. 


B. 

PRINCIPLES 


This  Book  groups  together 
rather  loosely,  important  considerations 
which   as  said  at  the  bottom  of  page  90 
ought  to  be  reiterated  and  ham- 
mered into  the  consciousness 
of  all  concerned. 


B. 
PRINCIPLES 


SPIRIT  OF  PLANNING 


Every  new  library  building  should  be  thoroughly 
planned  with  a  view  to  its  class,  scope,  size,  funds,  site, 
environment,  experience,  and  cost  of  administration. 
True  economy  begins  with  a  good  plan.  Not  only 
present  cost  but  future  annual  costs  depend  on  it. 

The  main  thing  in  beginning  to  plan,  even  in  the  first 
consideration  of  building,  is  to  set  your  ideal  high.  If 
your  funds  are  not  yet  provided  do  not  take  it  for  granted 
that  they  will  be  meagre.  Study  the  scope  of  your 
library,  look  hopefully  into  its  future.  What  work 
should  it  do  now ;  what  growth  should  it  get  in  the  next 
twenty-five  years?  What  size  and  area  are  needed  to 
meet  your  utmost  possibilities  in  that  time?  Consider 
first  only  the  essentials  —  they  will  be  costly  enough. 
When  you  have  made  careful  calculation  of  actual  needs 
(and  nothing  else)  ask  your  donor,  town  or  institution 
for  what  would  cover  them.  Do  not  at  first  include 
expensive  material  or  ornament.  If  the  body  that  is  to 
pay  requires  elegance,  calculate  cost  of  this  and  present 
it  as  a  separate  question. 

Set  your  ideal  of  utility  high,  and  ask  enough  to  cover 
it.  If  you  cannot  get  it,  then  and  not  till  then  will  be 
time  to  decide  what  to  surrender. 


80  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

If  the  amount  to  be  spent  is  already  fixed,  still  study 
ideals  first.  Can  we  get  all  the  requisites  for  this  library 
within  that  sum?  If  it  is  evidently  impossible;  if  build- 
ing thus  would  stifle  usefulness  or  stunt  growth,  ask 
for  more.  But  if  you  cannot  get  it,  or  if  you  think  the 
appropriation  can  be  made  to  cover  the  work,  the  ideal 
to  aim  at  is  to  pack  into  the  building  ample  accommoda- 
tion for  every  function  you  will  need  to  cover. 

Above  all,  make  these  calculations  ahead.  When  the 
sum  is  finally  fixed,  resolve  to  plan  so  carefully  that  the 
final  cost  will  come  within  the  appropriation.  Like  a 
note  to  pay,  this  obligation  is  peremptory. 

"The  main  ideas  are,  compact  stowing  to  save  space, 
and  short  distances  to  save  time."-  —  Winsor.1 

This  axiom  written  a  generation  ago  would  serve  to 
head  this  chapter  now.  Also  this,  "In  building,  as  in 
management,  the  wants  of  the  great  masses  of  the  public 
must  be  kept  constantly  in  view."-—  Pooled 

"The  evolution  of  a  design  is  not  such  a  simple  matter 
that  the  finished  idea  can  be  produced  in  a  short  time, 
but  it  must  depend  on  a  gradual  evolution,  based  upon 
a  thorough  study  of  the  local  conditions."  —  Patton? 

"A  building  can  be  made  both  beautiful  from  the 
architect's  standpoint  and  useful  from  that  of  its 
occupant,  by  constant  consultation  between  them,  by 
comparison  of  views  at  every  point,  and  by  intelligent 
compromise  whenever  this  is  found  to  be  necessary." 
— Bostwick.* 

1  P.  L.  1876,  p.  466.  3  6  P.  L.  203. 

2  Idem,  p.  479.  *  p.  270. 


PRINCIPLES  81 


Taste,   Tact,   Thrift,   Thoroughness 

The  spirit  of  planning  is  summarized  in  the  apothegm 
on  the  frontispiece  of  this  volume. 

Tastefully.  Although  Vitruvius  reckons  beauty 
third  and  last  among  the  requisites  of  building,  I  can 
put  taste  first,  because  good  taste  covers  both  beauty 
and-  use  and  should  be  the  prevailing  characteristic  of 
every  detail  of  a  library  building. 

Tactfully.  Webster  defines  tactful  as  a  discerning 
sense  of  what  is  right,  proper,  or  judicious,  and  this 
sense  applied  to  the  details  of  library  planning  would 
certainly  tend  to  perfection. 

Thriftily.  "Economical  management"  should  be 
the  keynote  embodied  in  every  detail  of  library  building. 

Thoroughly.  This  should  be  the  pervading  and 
controlling  spirit.  Plan  to  the  very  end;  aim  for  the 
very  best;  slight  no  least  detail. 

This  is  so  essential  to  proper  planning  that  it  deserves 
a  separate  chapter.  To  lack  of  thoroughness  on  the 
part  of  building  committees,  much  of  the  disappointing 
character  of  existing  buildings  is  due.  They  choose  an 
architect  directly  or  by  competition,  and  give  him  inade- 
quate guidance  in  his  task. 

An  architect  knows  much,  especially  where  to  look  for 
knowledge,  but  it  is  too  much  to  expect  him  to  master 
in  a  month  or  a  year,  together  with  a  score  of  other 
investigations,  the  intricacies  of  a  complex  and  rapidly 
developing  science  in  which  only  a  few  librarians  are 
expert  after  a  lifetime  of  study  and  practice. 


82  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  committees,  not  experts  themselves,  have  not 
secured  a  library  expert  to  formulate  their  problems 
thoroughly.  Perhaps  they  have  delegated  to  their  own 
librarian  a  branch  of  library  science  which  he  does  not 
know  by  experience,  and  cannot  be  expected  to  learn 
in  a  short  time  by  study;  especially  as  his  normal  duties 
of  running  the  library  fully  fill  all  his  waking  hours, 
and  part  of  his  dreams.  It  is  not  so  much  a  lack  of 
thoroughness  on  the  part  of  the  committee  as  an  entire 
lack  of  comprehension  of  how  much  there  is  to  be 
thorough  about. 

Use  Every  Inch  of  Space.  Begin  at  the  foundation 
and  study  every  detail.  Study  every  entrance,  passage, 
stairway,  room,  floor,  piece  of  furniture,  stretch  of  shelv- 
ing, up  to  the  roof ;  sketch  as  you  go,  sketch  not  loosely  but 
to  scale.  Fit  your  parts  together;  leave  no  waste  space, 
no  dark  corner  unutilized.  Measure  zealously  and  save 
every  inch  of  length,  breadth  and  height;  every  useless 
cubic  inch  costs  money  and  wastes  room.  Plan  a  closet 
under  every  open  staircase.  Watch  especially  the  height 
of  every  story  and  every  room.  Do  not  allow  any  foot 
of  height  not  imperatively  demanded  for  light  or  ven- 
tilation. Allow  nothing  for  mere  architectural  effect. 
Search  even  attic  and  ceiling  to  utilize  unutilized  corners. 
Do  not  blame  the  architect,  blame  yourself,  the  library 
expert,  for  any  waste  of  space  and  money. 


PRINCIPLES  83 


Economy  Paramount 

In  public  buildings,  the  duty  of  rigid  economy  is  clear, 
— economy  in  cost,  economy  in  space,  provision  for 
economy  in  administration.  Even  with  a  lavish  donor, 
his  generosity  should  be  guarded  by  economy,  especially 
if  he  does  not  endow  his  institution  lavishly  enough 
to  provide  for  upkeep  and  efficient  management.  This 
is  an  age  of  extravagance,  not  only  the  extravagance  of 
luxury,  but  that  of  necessity.  With  invention  and  im- 
proved comforts  of  living,  the  luxuries  of  our  fathers 
have  become  the  necessities  of  our  children.  This  is 
just  as  true  of  libraries  as  of  households.  Even  with 
larger  incomes  than  our  fathers,  we  have  to  be  eco- 
nomical to  live  in  health  and  comfort.  With  libraries 
and  with  families  as  their  income  increases  their 
wants  increase  —  they  never  have  enough.  Especi- 
ally is  forethought  needed  in  building  a  larger  house. 
Do  not  spend  too  much  on  it;  do  not  build  it  beyond  your 
means.  But  get  everything  into  it  you  can  reasonably 
afford  to  use.  So  with  a  library  building.  If  you  have 
a  given  sum  to  spend,  plan  very  carefully  to  get  all 
possible  space  and  convenience  for  the  cost.  If  you 
are  planning  to  ask  for  an  appropriation  or  a  gift,  plan 
carefully  to  ask  for  no  more  than  you  actually  need ;  — 
your  needs  are  sure  to  require  as  much  as  you  can  afford. 
The  tendency  to  extravagance  is  even  more  marked  in 
public  buildings  than  in  private  life.  Except  in  the  case 
of  rich  men  who  feel  the  increased  burden  of  taxation, 
the  average  citizen  is  apt  to  vote  money  for  schools  and 
libraries  and  city  halls,  without  careful  enough  inquiry 
into  details  and  with  rather  a  liking  for  show.  But  every 


84  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

real  friend  of  libraries  ought  to  oppose  extravagance  as 
watchfully  as  he  would  oppose  parsimony,  and  plan  so 
that  a  given  amount  of  money  will  do  the  most  good. 
Use  and  not  show  should  be  his  motto.  Treat  the  library 
liberally,  but  do  not  allow  the  library  building  to  take 
so  much  as  to  cramp  the  other  good  work  of  the  com- 
munity. 

"One  of  the  most  difficult  features  of  the  problem  is 
adapting  the  views  of  librarian  and  board  to  the  cost 
limit."  — Hamlin.1 

"Plan  well  within  your  limit;  extra  wants  will  come 
up  as  you  progress."  — Eastman. 

1  31  L.  J.  Conf.  62. 


PRINCIPLES  85 


Cost  of  Running 

Not  only  first  cost  but  future  annual  cost  of  adminis- 
tration, depends  upon  careful  planning  of  the  building. 
Care  and  repairs  of  expensive  material  and  ornament; 
cleaning,  heating  and  lighting  useless  floor  space  or 
height;  inconvenience  in  use;  separation  of  depart- 
ments, will  require  more  attendants  and  more  money, 
with  worse  service  to  the  public. 

"Extravagance  in  library  building  is  not  so  often 
found  in  lavish  ornament  as  in  that  unfortunate  arrange- 
ment of  departments  which  requires  three  attendants  to 
do  the  work  of  one  or  two."  — -Eastman.1 

"The  salary  of  an  extra  attendant  represents  the  inter- 
est on  a  sum  which  would  go  far  to  make  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  parts  of  the  building  what  it  should  be." 
—  Fletcher.2 

Duff-Brown 3  calculates  that  lighting,  heating,  repairs 
and  cleaning  cost  from  13  to  16  per  cent  of  the  annual 
appropriation  for  a  library.  This  percentage  can  be 
kept  to  its  lowest  limit  by  good  planning,  or  increased 
by  bad  planning. 

"A  plan  most  economical  in  cost  of  building  is  often 
most  economical  in  cost  of  working."  —  Champneys.* 

"A  simple  plan  is  better  and  more  economical."  — East- 
man? 

Not  only  economy  of  construction  but  economy  of 
administration  is  imperatively  demanded. 

1  26  L.  J.  Conf.  41.        2  p.  48.        3  p.  32.        *  p.  134.        s  p.  84. 


86  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


The  Worst  Extravagances 

The  very  worst  possible  waste  in  building  a  library 
is  doubtless  unduly  expensive  material  and  unnecessary 
ornament.  These  items  often  mount  up  into  tens  and 
even  hundreds  of  thousands.  They  are  worse  than  mere 
waste,  they  are  positive  detriments. 

The  next  worst  is  perhaps  architectural  competitions, 
which  are  spoken  of  at  length  elsewhere.1  They  are 
sure  to  cost  a  deal :  payment  for  an  advisory  architect, 
payment  of  prizes,  payment  of  the  jury.  Here  again 
there  is  more  than  waste,  there  is  delay,  a  false  start, 
deliberate  care  to  put  exterior  before  interior. 

The  third  common  extravagance  is  parsimony  in 
experts'  fees.  Champneys1  in  speaking  of  architects' 
errors,  says  that  "to  this  fact  must  be  attributed  the 
suggestion  that  librarians  should  dispense  with  the  ser- 
vices of  architects,  and  design  their  buildings  for  them- 
selves." This  suggestion  may  have  been  made  in  Eng- 
land, but  never  in  America,  even  in  acute  periods  of 
despair  over  the  trend  of  building.  No  American  libra- 
rian, no  building  committee,  would  think  of  dispensing 
with  an  architect,  though  they  might  try  to  economize 
by  getting  a  cheap  one. 

But  it  is  just  as  wasteful  to  cheapen  your  library 
adviser  as  your  architect.  Because  it  has  a  librarian 
already,  or  because  the  architect  chosen  is  willing  to 
tackle  the  job  without  expert  advice  (perhaps  more  readily 
because  he  resents  advice) ,  or  because  it  is  inclined  to 
contemn  and  resent  advice  itself,  the  committee  often 
commits  willful  extravagance  at  the  outset,  saving  at  the 
spigot  to  waste  at  the  bung,  by  going  poorly  equipped 
into  a  serious  task. 

1  See  later,  p.  143.  1  p.  2. 


PRINCIPLES  87 


Economy  of  Expert  Advice 

But  "penny  wise  is  pound  foolish."  Saving  first 
cost  is  not  always  true  economy.  It  would  be  foolish 
indeed  to  save  on  architect's  fees.  For  a  little  one- 
room  wooden  building,  to  be  sure,  a  local  carpenter 
might  do,  under  the  supervision  of  a  clever  librarian  or 
a  practical  trustee.  But  as  soon  as  the  building  gets 
complex,  get  an  architect.  His  fees  will  save  enough  in 
convenience,  in  comfort,  in  grace,  in  beauty,  in  actual 
money  outgo  to  contractors,  to  prove  themselves  the 
best  economy.  Just  so,  as  the  problem  gets  still  larger 
and  more  complex,  get  the  advice  of  an  expert  librarian 
to  help  present  it  to  the  architect.  He  will  more  than 
earn  his  fees  by  keeping  down  useless  waste  of  space; 
by  pointing  out  how  to  economize  in  running  expenses; 
by  aiding  the  architect  to  enhance  the  beauty  of  the 
building;  by  promoting  and  thus  expressing  its  true 
purposes. 

I  have  now  had  some  personal  experience  in  this 
matter  which  I  will  put  into  percentages.  From  what 
I  have  seen,  I  not  only  believe,  but  know,  that  one  per 
cent  of  the  cost  of  building,  put  into  employing  a  really 
competent  expert  librarian,  wall  save  from  ten  per  cent 
to  forty  per  cent  on  the  cost,  in  space,  convenience  and 
material.  If  you  doubt,  why  not  verify  the  facts  by 
inquiring  of  some  trustees  or  donors  who  have  tried  the 
experiment?  They  are  surely  unprejudiced  and  credible 
witnesses.  One  per  cent  spent  in  saving  ten  per  cent  is 
a  net  economy,  worth  at  least  considering. 


88  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

This  principle,  first  applied  to  library  matters  by 
Henry  J.  Carr  in  1891,  has  been  recognized  recently 
by  the  Mayor  of  Rochester.  Having  in  hand  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  central  library  and  a  system  of  branches,  he 
sent  for  a  leading  librarian  of  great  experience,  got  his 
advice,  for  which  a  liberal  fee  was  paid,  and  no  doubt 
thus  saved  for  the  city  thousands  of  dollars  which  might 
otherwise  have  been  wasted  in  experiments  and  bungling. 

"The  internal  arrangements  should  be  devised  by  a 
person  practically  acquainted  with  the  working  of  such 
a  library  as  the  building  is  intended  to  accommodate, 
and  not  by  architects  or  building  committees"  (or  inex- 
perienced librarians)  "without  such  experimental  knowl- 
edge." —  Fletcher.1 

"There  is  an  increasing  disposition  in  planning  libra- 
ries, to  turn  to  experts." — Foster.2 

No  experienced  librarian  would  allow  without  vigor- 
ous protest  such  waste  of  space  and  money  as  is  referred 
to  in  the  Boston  Transcript*  thus:  "The  increased  cost 
of  administration  in  some  of  the  newer  palatial  library 
buildings  is  alarming.  In  one,  the  cost  was  nearly 
threefold,  in  another  nearly  fourfold  what  it  was  before." 
This  might  have  been  saved,  or  at  least  largely  reduced, 
by  paying  a  modest  fee  to  a  good  expert. 

Calculate  the  cost  of  each  cubic  foot  of  wasted  space, 
the  cost  for  twenty  years  to  come  of  lighting,  heating, 
cleaning  and  repairs  for  useless  space;  the  salary  of 
additional  attendants  to  care  for  unnecessary  processes, 
and  you  will  find  that  economizing  on  advice  will  waste 
thousands  of  dollars. 

1  P.  L.  1876,  p.  407.         2  23  L.  J.  Conf.  23.         3  May,  1900. 


PRINCIPLES  89 


Problem  Always  New 

It  is  folly  to  try  to  copy  except  perhaps  in  a  mini- 
mum grade  library  —  in  embryo  or  rudimentary  form. 
Perhaps  in  a  very  small  and  remote  community,  without 
a  trained  librarian,  with  no  experienced  librarians  near, 
and  far  from  a  library  commission,  it  would  be  safe  to 
ask  a  local  builder  or  carpenter  to  duplicate  some  small 
building  pictured  in  such  a  manual  as  I  have  suggested, 
by  Miss  Marvin  and  Mr.  Eastman.  But  never  except 
in  the  smallest  grade. 

Even  among  the  libraries  usually  called  small,  there 
are  differences  of  site,  location,  community,  state  of 
development,  size,  methods,  aims,  funds,  prospects  of 
growth,  which  will  distinguish  or  should  distinguish  each 
new  building  from  all  other  buildings.  As  soon  as  a 
library  begins  to  have  a  character  of  its  own  —  and  this 
development  comes  early  in  America  —  its  library 
problem  merits  and  absolutely  requires  independent 
study.  Every  community,  every  institution,  wants  to 
have  a  library  suited  exactly  to  its  characteristics,  and 
the  library  should  have  a  building  suited  exactly  to 
its  character. 

"The  problem  presented  to  an  architect  by  a  library 
board  is  always  essentially  new."  — -  Mauran.1 

"Special  and  local  conditions  place  a  new  problem 
before  the  builder  every  time." — O.Bluemner.2 

'26  L.  J.  Conf .  45.  2  3  P.  L.  336. 


90  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Plan  Inside  First 

Librarian  and  architect  should  collaborate  from  the 
beginning  in  every  interior  detail.  The  exterior  should 
not  even  be  considered  until  the  interior  has  been  en- 
tirely mapped  out. 

This  elemental  maxim  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
laid  down  until  the  formulation  of  the  "Points  of  Agree- 
ment." Indeed,  the  first  mistakes  in  building  libraries, 
and  the  mistakes  still  too  often  made,  may  be  attributed 
largely  to  the  search  for  precedents  in  style,  the  formu- 
lation of  the  exterior  before  what  it  is  to  hold  or  express 
is  defined.  Most  architectural  competitions  (except 
those  held  to  dodge  responsibility  in  selecting  an  archi- 
tect) arise  from  an  impression  on  the  part  of  the  building 
committee  and  the  board  and  community  they  repre- 
sent, that  the  looks  of  the  library  building,  the  effect 
it  makes  on  the  public,  is  the  main  thing  to  secure, 
not  so  much  the  proper  housing  and  handling  of  the 
books. 

The  whole  argument  of  this  volume  is  that  a  library 
is  a  library,  a  book-  and  study-workshop  or  factory; 
only  incidentally  an  ornament;  no  more,  certainly,  than 
a  schoolhouse  needs  to  be.  If  so,  its  motives  are  all 
utilitarian,  to  be  studied  out  first  of  all,  thoroughly  and 
faithfully,  before  a  thought  is  given  to  exterior  condi- 
tions, or  any  details  of  exterior  or  interior  ornament. 
This  consideration  should  be  reiterated  and  hammered 
into  the  consciousness  of  all  concerned  —  architect, 
committee,  community. 

"Taking  into  account  the  practical  uses  of  the  modern 
library,  it  is  readily  seen  that  it  needs  a  building  planned 


PRINCIPLES  91 

from  inside  and  not  from  without,  dictated  by  con- 
venience rather  than  taste,   no  matter  how  good." 
Fletcher.1 

"Consider  the  plans  first,  rather  than  the  elevation. 
The  outside  of  the  library  building  is  its  least  important 
feature."  —  Duff-Brown.'1' 

The  buildings  planned  thus,  by  gradual  develop- 
ment of  ideal  interior  arrangements,  are  very  likely  in 
the  hands  of  a  skillful  architect  to  turn  out  architec- 
turally beautiful.  For  the  designer,  as  he  has  advised 
about  structural  points  has  gradually  evolved  from  these 
details  a  harmonious  conception  of  what  the  library  is 
to  be  and  do,  the  relation  it  holds  to  its  surroundings 
and  to  the  public,  until  an  ideal  scheme  of  proportion 
and  symmetry  flashes  into  his  mind,  and  Utilitas  has 
led  him  up  to  complete  Venustas. 

1  p.  48.  2  p.  81. 


92  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Never  Copy  Blindly 

I  should  not  suppose  that  any  building  committee 
would  be  senseless  enough  to  "convey"  an  exterior  from 
another  building  labelled  "library,"  and  try  to  cram 
their  own  institution  into  it,  but  in  reading  a  recent 
number  of  The  Librarian  of  London,  I  found  this  para- 
graph:1 "Within  the  last  few  weeks  the  surveyor  was 
instructed  to  draw  plans  from  a  photograph  of  another 
institution.  .  .  .  Without  knowing  all  the  factors  going 
to  the  making  of  the  plan  of  a  library  in  another  part 
of  the  country  it  would  be  impossible  to  say,  without 
consultation,  that  they  would  be  suitable  for  the  particu- 
lar circumstances  of  this  one."  But  it  is  not  necessary 
to  go  so  far  abroad  for  a  warning.  We  all  remember 
that  eminent  trustees  and  a  distinguished  architect 
went  farther  to  appropriate  a  design,  and  imitate  it 
here  in  America  —  not  often  accused  of  poverty  of 
invention.  The  cult  that  admired  it,  admired  it  so  much 
as  to  copy  their  borrowed  work  for  buildings  they  labelled 
"libraries"  all  over  the  United  States.  If  you  do  not 
realize  the  fidelity  of  this  "copy,"  and  if  you  own 
Champney's  "Public  Libraries,"  look  at  page  134,  "The 
Boston  Public  Library,"  and  then  turn  to  "Bibliotheque 
Ste.  Genevieve,  Paris,"  opposite  page  139.  And  if  you 
have  Burgoyne's  "Library  Construction,"  read  pages 
255  to  257,  which  reflect  in  mild  and  courteous  terms 
the  criticisms  of  American  librarians  on  this  architec- 
tural plagiarism.  To  recall  the  criticisms  of  Winsor,  or 
Poole,  or  Cutter,  would  not  be  so  mild. 
1  Vol.  2,  p.  231. 


PRINCIPLES  93 

As  a  result  of  similar  mistakes,  librarians  are  united 
as  to  slavish  imitations  of  exteriors  or  interiors,  but 
perhaps  some  small  libraries  might  be  willing  to  copy 
an  interior  arrangement  more  or  less  closely.  Before 
doing  so,  however,  they  should  secure  overwhelming 
testimony  as  to  the  practical  merits  of  the  plan  as 
adapted  to  new  needs ;  and  even  then  a  practical  librarian 
and  architect  could  probably  find  modifications  which 
would  make  it  more  thoroughly  fitted  to  all  local  condi- 
tions. Certainly  another  plan  ought  not  be  copied 
until  after  careful  consideration  of  all  present  and 
anticipated  requirements  of  the  problem  in  hand. 

"No  library  can  be  successfully  imitated  from  an- 
other." —  W.  A.  Otis  (architect).1 

"No  model  plan  can  be  said  to  be  best."  —Burgoyne.2 

"It  is  useless  to  attempt  setting  forward  an  ideal 
plan."  —  O.  Bluemner.5 

"A  building  committee  is  not  likely  to  secure  what 
it  wants  by  copying  or  even  by  competition." — East- 
man.* 

Study  precedents  always  and  thoroughly,  but  do  not 
try  to  follow  any  of  them  implicitly,  nor  expect  to  find 
a  type  or  model  you  can  imitate. 

1  8  P.  L.  206.  2  8  The  Libr.  Asso.  Record  178. 

3  3  P.  L.  336.          4  26  L.  J.  Conf.  p.  41. 


94  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Study  of  Other  Libraries 

By  Visit.  The  best  preparation  for  planning,  and 
later  the  best  test  and  corrective  of  your  plans,  will  lie  in 
visits  to  other  libraries  of  like  grade,  size,  character,  and 
constituency  as  your  own,  especially  if  their  librarians 
are  intelligent,  experienced,  and  thoroughly  frank  about 
both  the  merits  and  the  faults  of  their  buildings,  and 
will  tell  you  what  to  avoid  as  well  as  what  to  imitate. 
Observe  carefully  (with  note-book  and  pencil  in  hand) 
size  and  collocation  of  rooms;  height  of  walls;  dimen- 
sions and  make  of  furniture;  suitability  and  finish  of 
all  materials;  effect  of  coloring;  placing  and  size  of  win- 
dows; distribution,  effectiveness,  and  economy  of 
artificial  lights;  all  the  various  points  which  will  aid  you 
in  solving  your  own  problems.  Carry  a  measuring  tape, 
and  get  all  dimensions  down  to  scale.  If  your  architect 
can  go  with  you,  at  least  on  a  second  or  review  trip,  so 
much  the  better.  If  he  cannot  do  this,  have  specific 
recommendations  ready  for  him  at  your  next  conference. 

Examining  Plans.  Next  to  personal  visits,  intelli- 
gent inspection  and  comparison  of  plans  will  help  you 
after  you  have  gone  some  way  toward  formulating  your 
own  plans.  I  would  not  advise  too  premature,  or  too 
promiscuous  study  of  plans.  There  are  so  many  accessi- 
ble to  a  searcher,  of  so  many  different  grades,  and  such 
varying  degrees  of  excellence,  that  indiscriminate  and 
reckless  inspection  is  very  apt  to  bring  on  mental 
dyspepsia. 

Disregard  at  first  exteriors,  which  distract  attention 
from  essentials.  Confine  yourself  to  floor  plans  and 
interiors  of  libraries  of  your  own  size  and  class.  Prefer- 


PRINCIPLES  95 

ably  take  modern  plans,  certainly  those  of  leading  li- 
braries in  all  sections  which  are  imbued  with  the  modern 
progressive  ideas.  You  will  find  no  lack  of  material. 
If  you  use  it  wisely  and  eclectically,  it  will  help  clarify 
your  ideas.  Note  the  plans  which  seem  to  you  best; 
go  back  to  them  again  and  again ;  at  each  study  discard 
those  which  are  less  satisfactory;  and  when  you  have 
reduced  your  list  to  a  few  very  nearly  right,  compare 
them  with  your  own  sketches  until  you  are  quite  sure 
that  you  have  incorporated  all  their  best  points. 

You  will  not  perhaps  have  much  access  to  English 
books.  If  you  do  you  will  find  interesting  views  and 
plans  in  Duff-Brown,  Burgoyne,  Champneys,  and 
Cotgreave;  but  they  will  hardly  help  you  much,  because 
English  methods  are  somewhat  different  from  ours.  Some 
late  plans  for  large  libraries,  given  in  "The  Librarian," 
seem  to  show  wasteful  attempts  at  architectural  effect. 
Three  things  in  the  plans  of  small  English  libraries, 
you  will  note,  and  should  learn  from  —  the  clever 
adaptation  of  irregular  sites,  the  effective  use  of  top- 
light,  and  the  economy  of  space  in  entrance  halls. 

In  America  there  are  plans  in  plenty.  The  most  help- 
ful are  the  most  recent. 

Koch  has  over  a  hundred  plans  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  including  branches,  most  of  them  costing  from 
$10,000  to  $50,000.  But  as  yet  he  has  no  letter-press 
to  explain  the  plans. 

Miss  Marvin  gives  exterior  and  interior  views  and 
floor  plans,  with  full  descriptions  of  twenty  libraries, 
costing  from  $2,600  up  to  $75,000.  No  one  should  plan 
a  library  of  any  size  without  giving  her  pamphlet  a 
careful  reading. 

Eastman  gives  exteriors,  interiors  and  floor  plans  of 
twenty-five  libraries,  ranging  in  cost  from  $1,170  to 
$80,000. 


96  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

H .  B .  Adams  has  twenty-five  exteriors ,  forty  interiors  and 
only  thirteen  floor  plans.  Bostwick  has  seven  floor  plans. 

The  Massachusetts  Public  Library  Commission  Report 
for  1899  shows  one  hundred  and  twenty  exteriors,  with 
letter-press  giving  costs,  but  no  interiors  or  floor  plans. 

The  Boston  Public  Library  Index  to  Plans  of  Library 
Buildings,  second  edition  1899,  refers  to  over  twelve 
hundred  illustrations  in  various  books,  pamphlets  and 
periodicals,  of  which  the  largest  number  are  only 
exteriors,  a  few  are  interiors,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
only  are  floor  plans. 

There  are  many  exteriors  of  libraries,  usually  without 
interiors  or  floor  plans,  published  in  popular  and  in  ar- 
chitectural periodicals,  but  very  few  of  them  furnish 
valuable  suggestions  as  to  planning.  Indeed  much  plan 
hunting  will  rather  daze  than  instruct  an  investigator. 
A  common  defect  in  plans  is  the  total  absence  of 
information  about  the  height  of  rooms  —  a  vital  meas- 
urement. Indeed  every  plan  should  tell,  both  the  height 
of  each  story,  floor  to  floor,  and  the  height  of  each  room, 
floor  to  ceiling. 

There  are  many  interesting  plans,  with  descriptions, 
scattered  among  annual  or  special  library  reports,  but 
these  have  not  been  indexed  together  in  any  one  place. 
If  one  of  the  library-schools  could  compile  as  a  thesis, 
an  index  to  plans  of  library  buildings  in  books  and  maga- 
zines, distinguishing  between  exteriors,  interiors,  floor 
plans  and  letter-press  information,  and  if  someone  like 
Mr.  Eastman  or  Miss  Marvin  could  supply  comments 
as  a  guide  through  this  mass  of  material,  it  would  be  a 
good  thing  for  the  A.  L.  A.  Publishing  Board  to  father. 
The  A.  L.  A.  itself  once  attempted  to  get  a  collection 
of  floor  plans  and  got  about  a  hundred  sets  as  a  start, 
but  I  believe  has  never  prepared  any  such  card-index 
of  features,  with  such  comments  as  would  make  them 
valuable.  I  believe  the  Library  Bureau  has  also  a 
considerable  collection  of  plans. 


PRINCIPLES  97 


The  Life  of  a  Library  Building 

This  is  a  crucial  question  in  problems  of  building.  In 
a  recent  discussion  as  to  how  much  should  be  appropriated 
a  trustee  soberly  urged  that  the  library  should  have  the 
finest,  the  most  impressive,  the  most  beautiful  building 
in  town,  and  that  it  should  be  built  solidly  enough  to 
last  hundreds  of  years,  like  the  mediaeval  cathedrals. 
But  besides  the  question  of  first  cost,  how  far  can  a  town 
afford  to  go  in  its  expenditure  for  a  library,  while  it  has 
schools  to  build,  roads  to  improve,  sewers  to  lay,  parks 
and  playgrounds  to  develop?  Besides  this  comes  the 
question  whether  it  is  wise  to  erect  such  barriers  to 
change  as  the  walls  and  partitions  of  a  too  solid  build- 
ing would  offer. 

Opinion  of  librarians  is  practically  unanimous  to  the 
effect  that  growth  or  change  of  methods  will  bring  need 
of  alterations,  additions,  or  entire  rebuilding,  in  all 
active  libraries  in  less  than  a  generation.  Thus,  — 

"Librarians  are  among  the  most  progressive  of  the 
world's  workers  and  a  library  building,  however  well 
arranged,  may  be  out  of  date  in  a  year  or  so."  —Edward 
B.  Green.1 

"You  cannot  foresee  the  future.  Provide  for  ten 
years"  (in  a  small  library).  —  Miss  Marvin. 

"Estimate  growth  for  twenty  years." — Eastman. 

"It  is  not  only  unnecessary  but  unwise  to  plan  for 
more  than  thirty  years  ahead,  because  library  adminis- 
tration may  radically  change. ": 

1  6  P.  L.  602.  2 17  L.  J.  125. 


98*  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"Twenty-five  years  will  probably  find  your  building 
out  of  date,  out  of  place,  and  a  burden."  —  Dana.1 

In  England  the  Manchester  library  outgrew  its  build- 
ing in  forty-three  years;  at  Leeds,  in  twenty-three 
years;  at  Glasgow,  in  twenty  years;  at  Birmingham,  in 
thirty  years."  — Burg.2 

My  own  calculations  have  been  made  for  twenty-five 
years  and  I  should  call  this  the  life  of  the  average  library 
building.  Unless  in  very  stagnant  institutions  and 
communities,  there  is  sure  to  come,  in  much  less  than 
that  time,  say  in  'five  or  ten  years,  growth  in  books  or 
in  use,  requiring  enlargement;  again,  equal  growth  in 
the  next  five,  or  ten  years.  Then  the  enlargements  be- 
come entirely  inadequate  to  new  conditions  or  new 
management,  and  by  the  time  the  building  has  been 
occupied  twenty-five  years  the  trustees  are  fortunate  if 
they  have  so  little  money  invested  that  they  can  afford 
to  pull  it  down  and  build  a  more  modern  building, 
arranged  according  to  the  latest  ideas  for  the  latest 
wants. 

On  the  other  hand  an  institution  or  a  town  may  have 
money  given  it  by  a  donor  who  wants  a  handsome  and 
solid  building.  The  question  will  then  arise,  "How  com- 
promise between  certainty  of  change,  and  desire  for 
permanence?"  Why  not  in  such  case  do  what  has  been 
suggested  for  college  libraries  —  put  up  a  fine  facade,  to 
last  a  century  or  more,  and  use  modern  methods  of 
light  construction  for  all  behind  it;  thus  combining 
architectural  effect  with  ease  of  alteration? 

1  p.  6.  a  p.  8. 


PRINCIPLES  99 


The  Time  to  Build 

Don't  Build  too  Soon.  All  authorities  warn  against 
building  prematurely. 

"It  is  a  risky  undertaking  for  a  board  to  erect  a 
building  in  the  first  stage  of  their  enterprise.  Better 
wait  until  its  wants  are  developed  in  temporary 
quarters."  -  Wm.  F.  Poole.1 

"Don't  build  until  you  have  the  library,  the  librarian, 
and  the  money." — J.  C.  Dana.2 

"Get  your  librarian,  books,  and  methods  first.  Use 
rented  rooms  until  you  know  what  you  want.  Almost 
any  rooms  can  be  made  to  serve  as  a  beginning,  and  can 
be  so  planned  that  the  fixtures  and  furniture  are  all 
available  for  a  new  building.  Experience  will  then  teach 
just  the  kind  of  building  that  is  needed  for  that  particu- 
lar town  and  library."3 

Alter  Sparingly.  In  a  building  given  you  already 
occupied,  make  such  not  too  expensive  enlargements  or 
alterations  as  growth  absolutely  demands,  but  take  a 
long  look  ahead  toward  rebuilding.  With  the  changes 
in  library  methods  developing  so  rapidly,  a  patched  old 
building  soon  becomes  hopelessly  out  of  date,  and  clogs 
progress.  Better  save  up  money  and  cultivate  opinion 
in  favor  of  building  anew.  Looking  a  generation  ahead, 
economy  alone  will  demand,  at  some  not  distant  time, 
a  building  in  which  economy  of  time  and  service  will  be 
possible.  Do  not  go  down  to  posterity  in  patched-up  old 
clothes. 

1  P.  L.  1876,  484.         2  36  L.  J.  189.          3 1  Library  Notes,  177. 


100  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

But  Begin  to  Prepare  Early.  As  soon  as  your 
librarian  is  selected,  your  books  bought,  and  your 
method  started,  it  is  never  too  early  to  think  and  talk 
building.  It  will  take  a  long  time  of  fixed  purpose  to 
work  up  to  a  gift  or  an  appropriation.  To  canvass 
merits  of  sites,  to  study  precedents  of  management, 
to  calculate  chances  of  development,  to  educate  your 
librarian,  to  watch  and  ask  about  architects,  to  pick  out 
deliberately  the  ideal  building  committee,  will  occupy 
many  interesting  hours  at  board  meetings  and  consume 
months  or  years  of  preparation.  While  you  are  about 
it,  time  so  taken  will  allow  you  to  accumulate  a  lot  of 
information,  and  to  mature  your  judgment.  If  you 
have  your  librarian  get  him  to  look  up  the  files  of  the 
library  journals,  and  the  annual  reports  of  libraries  of 
your  grade  and  class,  and  such  as  are  rather  ahead  of 
you,  who  have  already  realized  what  your  future  may 
be.  In  these  you  will  pick  up  here  and  there  many 
useful  hints  of  experience.  If  you  go  to  library  club 
meetings  and  talk  with  trustees  and  librarians  with 
similar  problems  to  yours;  if  you  take  an  occasional 
leisurely  jaunt  to  well-managed  neighboring  libraries,  you 
will  absorb  and  be  able  to  digest  ideas  which  a  hurried 
search,  after  beginning  to  build,  might  not  elicit  just  when 
you  want  to  use  them. 

And  do  not  Put  Off  too  Long.  But  when  you  are 
ready,  go!  Patient  preparation  has  fitted  all  for  wise 
decision  and  prompt  action.  There  is  a  psychological 
moment  at  which  public  or  donor  may  be  carried  by 
storm,  and  the  necessary  funds  can  be  secured.  He 
who  hesitates  then,  is  surely  lost.  When  the  money  is 
secured,  and  sufficient  experience  or  advice  has  been 
accumulated,  the  sooner  you  decide  to  begin  to  plan, 
the  better.  Beginning  to  plan,  however,  is  remote 
from  actual  building.  "Well  lathered  is  half  shaved" 


PRINCIPLES  101 

is  a  homely  proverb,  and  the  analogy  holds  in  library 
planning,  even  for  the  smallest  building.  Months  to 
formulate  and  fit  together  the  first  sketches,  months  to 
work  them  out  practically  with  the  architect,  many 
conferences  with  the  building  committee,  time  after 
decision  to  prepare  working  plans,  time  still  to  invite 
and  compare  bids,  then  the  slow  processes  of  building, 
—  there  is  a  deal  of  delay  ahead  after  the  decision  is  made 
to  build.  You  have  just  about  got  half  through  when 
you  finish  these  preliminaries. 

The  time  to  build  is  therefore  when  you  are  very  sure 
everything  is  ripe  for  action;  —  methods, preparation, 
plans,  enthusiasm,  harmony,  good  advice,  suitable  agents, 
sufficient  funds. 


102  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Size  and  Cost 

At  the  outset  either  the  cost  must  be  estimated  as 
the  first  step  toward  getting  an  appropriation,  a  subscrip- 
tion, or  a  donation;  or  the  cost  has  already  been  pro- 
vided for,  and  the  first  step  must  be  to  see  how  large 
a  building  it  will  allow. 

In  the  former  alternative,  it  is  \iecessary  to  ascertain 
how  many  books  are  to  be  provided  for,  how  many 
readers  there  may  be  in  the  several  departments  to  be 
covered  by  the  work  of  that  particular  library,  and  how 
large  a  staff  can  be  afforded,  with  ample  elbow  room 
for  them  all.  The  figures  thus  collected  will  enable  an 
expert  to  give  the  number  of  rooms  and  passages  re- 
quired, with  a  maximum  and  minimum  size,  and  a 
tentative  location  of  each  room.  By  deciding  on  the 
number  of  stories  and  the  height  of  each,  the  architect 
can  then  pack  all  into  the  least  possible  space  and  cal- 
culate first  the  area  of  each  floor  and  the  cubic  contents 
and  cost  of  an  adequate  building,  to  be  verified  by  the 
average  cost  of  similar  libraries  in  similar  locations, 
built  under  similar  conditions.  A  rough  but  surprisingly 
close  estimate  of  the  proper  limit  of  cost  may  be  reached 
through  reversing  Carnegie's  stipulation  for  a  pledge 
of  an  annual  ten  per  cent  on  cost  for  running  expenses; 
and  taking  ten  times  what  the  library  costs  a  year  to 
run,  or  will  take  after  completion.  The  result  is  testi- 
mony to  the  wisdom  of  Mr.  Carnegie's  library  advisers. 

In  the  latter  alternative  the  librarian  and  architect 
can  at  once  get  an  approximation  to  a  size  which  the 
cost  will  allow  by  dividing  the  sum  available  by  the 
same  pro  forma  cost  per  cubic  foot.  Having  thus  arrived 


PRINCIPLES  103 

at  the  maximum  of  size,  they  can  tentatively  assume 
the  height  and  divide  the  cubic  contents  by  it,  to  find 
how  many  square  feet  can  be  afforded  to  a  floor.  After 
this  comes  the  puzzle  how  to  get  into  this  space  the 
proper  collocation  of  all  the  rooms  wanted,  as  large  as 
they  ought  to  be. 

See  interesting  calculation  as  to  number  of  users  to 
be  provided  for  in  the  different  departments  (in  Eng- 
land, not  quite  the  same  as  ours)  for  towns  of  various 
sizes,  by  Champneys,1  quoting  Duff-Brown.  His  tables 
may  suggest  a  basis  of  calculation  here.  See  also 
Duff-Brown  in  his  own  book.2 

The  Cubic  Cost.  This  question  is  not  difficult,  if  you 
can  reach  a  fairly  exact  standard  for  cost  per  cubic 
foot.  Of  course  this  will  vary  with  the  material  used, 
and  with  the  cost  both  of  material  and  labor  in  different 
localities.  Various  authorities  quote  it  variously.  In 
the  problems  I  have  personally  investigated,  in  eastern 
New  England,  I  have  found  that  thirty-five  cents  cost  per 
cubic  foot,  for  a  simple  warehouse-construction  building, 
including  stack  and  furniture,  was  not  too  much  to 
allow.  But  Miss  Marvin3  says  that  in  the  Middle 
West  the  building  proper  will  cost  from  11  to  14  cents 
per  cubic  foot,  or  large  solid  buildings  20  to  25  cents, 
plus  10  per  cent  of  the  total  for  fees,  furniture  and 
finishing.  As  I  always  include  these  items  in  my  cal- 
culations, the  estimates  are  not  far  apart. 

Our  English  brethren  are  able  to  do  somewhat  better 
if  Champneys  is  correct  —  he  ought  to  be,  he  is  an 
architect.  He  says,  "As  a  general  rule,  Is.  per  cubic 
foot  is  probably  about  the  right  allowance  in  London, 
if  all  fixtures  are  included,  while  9d.  or  10d.,  or  less,  is 
sometimes  sufficient  in  the  provinces.4  Perhaps,  how- 
ever, he  does  not  include  fees  and  furnishing. 

1  p.  139.  2  pp.  89-92.  3  p.  10.  4  p.  141. 


104  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

To  calculate  cubes,  outside  measurements  of  the  walls 
should  be  taken  for  the  square  area,  and  the  height  should 
be  measured  from  the  floor  of  the  basement  to  the  roof, 
or  to  half-way  from  eaves  to  ridge-pole,  if  the  roof  is 
not  flat. 

Limiting  Annual  Outlay.  In  planning  remember 
to  watch  not  only  first  cost,  but  future  expense 
of  running  your  library.  The  more  expensive  your 
material,  the  larger  its  maintenance  will  probably  be  for 
care  and  repair.  The  larger  your  halls  and  stair- 
ways, the  more  diffuse  your  rooms,  the  farther  depart- 
ments are  separated,  the  more  wasteful  your  heating 
and  lighting,  the  more  your  service  will  cost.  Good  plan- 
ning may  easily  save  you  ten  per  cent  on  first  cost,  and 
twenty  per  cent  every  year  for  the  life  of  the  building  — • 
a  whole  generation.  Calculate  this  saving  for  yourself, 
and  be  careful! 

"  It  is  impossible  to  have  good  administration  without 
a  building  properly  planned."  —  The  Libr.  Asst.1 

An  architect  generally  overlooks  those  essentials  which 
may  appear  trivial,  yet  are  of  the  greatest  importance. 
—Ibid. 

Cutting  Down  Cost.  From  the  first  a  wise  planner 
will  study  to  limit  expense  in  every  detail.  After  all 
possible  economy,  however,  the  wants  will  so  outrun  the 
possibilities,  that  when  architect  and  librarian  and 
adviser  have  agreed  on  a  plan  and  it  has  been  accepted 
by  the  building  committee,  the  first  experimental  esti- 
mates will  go  beyond  the  limit. 

On  what  points  will  it  be  possible  to  cut  down,  without 
serious  sacrifice,  from  the  library  point  of  view? 

In  the  first  place,  size.  As  cost  is  largely  in  pro- 
portion to  cubic  contents,  every  cubic  foot  saved  pares 
down  expense.  It  will  generally  be  hard  to  spare 
1  Vol.  4,  p.  83. 


PRINCIPLES  105 

floor  area  anywhere,  but  there  can  often  be  reduction  of 
height  in  rooms  or  floors.  The  only  real  library  requi- 
sites of  height  are  air-capacity,  and  reach  of  light  from 
windows  across  rooms.  The  architect  often  wants  cer- 
tain heights  for  architectural  effect,  — but  always  try 
to  pin  him  down  to  what  is  actually  necessary  for  com- 
fort in  every  room,  and  point  out  where  mezzanine  rooms 
would  serve  in  high  stories. 

In  the  next  place  comes  ornament,  exterior  and  in- 
terior. In  the  John  Hay  library  at  Brown  University, 
several  thousand  dollars'  expense  was  saved  by  omitting 
the  cornice  around  the  outside  rear  wall  of  the  stack 
room,  without  sacrifice  of  effect.  In  the  Brookline  cut- 
down,1  several  thousand  dollars  were  saved  by  omitting 
two  ornamental  but  superfluous  gardens  outside- 

In  a  city,  try  to  get  the  park  department  to  assume 
the  cost  of  laying  out  the  library  grounds. 

Then  the  entrance  and  halls  and  staircases,  as  origin- 
ally sketched,  will  be  often  found  unnecessarily  large 
when  tested  by  library  requirements.  At  Brookline 
the  larger  part  of  the  saving  was  made  on  such  extras. 
Outside  steps,  platform,  columns,  cornices,  balustrades 
and  the  like,  are  often  superfluous. 

On  material,  again,  much  permissible  saving  can 
be  made.  Inquiry  of  the  architect  will  elicit  that 
less  expensive  material  or  finish  will  give  as  much 
strength,  durability  and  also  as  good  effect  as  the 
first  choice. 

"Shingles  instead  of  slate,  plain  glass  instead  of  plate 
glass,  cheaper  brick,  cheaper  finish,  omitting  fireplaces, 
using  wood  floors  instead  of  tile."  —  Miss  Marvin.2 

"Don't  waste  money  in  too  substantial  construction 
and  fireproofing"  —  Stanley.3 

1  $400,000  to  $250,000.     See  33  L.  J.  428  and  442. 
2  pp.  59,  102.  3  14  L.  J.  264. 


106  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

When  the  inquiry  is  made  of  him,  the  architect  will 
usually  prove  to  be  suggestive  as  to  economies.  He  will 
be  much  more  interested  in  savings  than  in  extrava- 
gance, and  he  knows  just  where  savings  can  be  made 
without  real  sacrifice  of  strength,  utility,  or  beauty. 
In  fact,  it  is  here  and  in  suggestion  of  alternatives  in 
meeting  library  needs,  that  a  practical  architect  will 
often  surprise  the  librarian. 

Indeed,  I  have  been  surprised  myself  in  finding  how 
keen  an  architect  can  be  when  this  question  comes  up. 
One  would  think  he  would  hate  not  only  to  forego  any 
of  his  commission,  but  also  to  give  up  what  seem  to  be 
essential  elements  in  a  harmonious  scheme.  But  in  all 
economies  of  this  kind  in  which  I  have  taken  part,  the 
architect  has  thrown  himself  into  problems  of  saving 
with  as  much  zeal  as  if  he  were  to  benefit  rather  than 
the  owner. 


PRINCIPLES  107 


Open  Access 

The  admission  of  readers  freely  to  the  shelving,  both 
readers  who  want  to  select  books  to  borrow  for  home- 
reading,  and  those  who  wish  to  select  from  the  shelves 
books  for  serious  reading  in  the  building,  has  become  a 
common  policy  of  libraries  under  the  name  of  "open 
access." 

For  the  benefit  of  borrowers  of  new  books,  popular  books 
or  late  fiction  (in  children's  rooms,  children's  books), 
open-access  rooms  are  usually  provided  with  wall  or 
floor  shelving,  or  alcoves  so  widely  spaced  as  to  allow 
free  inspection  of  the  books.  Where  there  is  not  a  sepa- 
rate room  or  suite  of  rooms,  there  is  a  corner  of  the 
light-reading  room  shelved  for  this  use. 

See  "Carrels"  x  as  to  open  access  to  the  stack. 

"Let  the  shelves  be  open,  and  the  public  admitted  to 
them.  Give  the  people  such  liberty  with  their  own 
collection  of  books  as  the  bookseller  gives  them  with 
his."  • —  Dana.2 

This  development  of  use  has  changed  the  problems  of 
planning  in  our  generation  more  than  any  other  new 
idea,  as  will  be  realized  in  looking  at  floor-plans  of  any 
of  the  old  libraries. 

The  decision  of  the  librarian  and  the  trustees  as  to 
what  policy  is  to  be  adopted  in  all  parts  of  the  building 
in  relation  to  open  access  will  largely  govern  planning  of 
all  the  departments.  Even  after  a  decision  is  given, 
the  question  will  arise,  "Ought  provision  be  made  for 
possible  changes  of  method  in  future?" 

1  p.  286  of  this  volume.  2  L.  P.  p.  15. 


108  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Light,   Warmth,  Fresh  Air 

After  the  library  is  finished,  the  staff  will  have  to  work 
and  the  public  to  read  in  it. 

The  eyesight  of  everyone  that  enters  the  building 
is  dependent  on  the  steady  soft  incidence,  reflection, 
diffusion,  concentration,  abundance,  of  natural  and  arti- 
ficial light  supplied;  their  comfort  summer  and  winter 
depends  on  the  amount  of  heat  tempered  or  admitted; 
the  clearness  of  their  brains,  their  ability  to  read  and 
comprehend  depends  on  methods  of  ventilation;  the 
permanent  health  of  all  obliged  to  stay  any  length  of 
time  in  the  library  may  be  seriously  affected  by  the 
care  or  neglect  of  those  who  plan  these  vital  elements 
of  construction.  Better  have  the  building  plain,  even 
ugly,  with  these  essentials  perfect,  than  impressive  and 
elegant  without  them. 

From  the  very  first,  in  planning  small  or  medium, 
the  large,  or  the  largest  libraries  —  in  corridors,  rooms, 
halls,  or  stacks,  —  ponder  these  needs  as  you  go  on, 
seek  defects  or  merits  in  these  directions  as  you  visit 
other  buildings;  set  aside  sufficient  time  for  special  and 
deliberate  study  and  review  of  these  problems,  librarian, 
adviser  and  architect  in  solemn  conclave,  and  resolve 
to  have  your  building,  in  these  particulars  at  least,  the 
best  one  not  only  in  your  own  state,  but  in  America 
and  in  the  world. 

As  is  elsewhere  urged  again  and  again,  spend  what 
money  you  have  to  spare,  in  such  essentials,  rather 
than  in  the  luxuries  of  unnecessarily  expensive  material, 
decoration,  or  furniture. 

See  special  chapters,  later  on,  on  Lighting,  Heating, 
and  Ventilation. 


PRINCIPLES  109 


Faults  to  be  Looked  For 

In  visiting  other  libraries  or  looking  at  other  plans, 
the  virtues  are  sometimes  hard  to  detect,  but  there  are 
some  faults  even  a  novice  can  see.  For  instance  — 

Heaviness  or  embellishment  of  exterior,  unsuited  to  a 
library. 

Arched  or  pointed,  mullioned  or  leaded  windows, 
obstructive  of  light. 

Domes,  with  rotundas  beneath. 

Columns  and  porticoes. 

Overhanging  roofs  or  cornices. 

Stories,  corridors,  or  rooms,  unnecessarily  high  in  the 
walls. 

Waste  of  floor  space. 

Ornamental  and  excessively  broad  or  massive  stair- 
ways. 

Stairs  and  corridors  separating  rooms  which  should 
adjoin. 

Poor  light  anywhere;  light  in  the  eyes  of  readers 
instead  of  on  the  backs  or  pages  of  books. 

Drafts,  or  absence  of  air. 

These  are  a  few  common  faults;  any  good  librarian 
can  suggest  others  from  his  or  her  own  experience. 

As  the  classes  of  library  schools  go  about  visiting  libra- 
ries, it  would  be  well  to  have  some  expert  instructor 
or  guide  point  out  obvious  faults  of  construction.  The 
local  librarian  could  best  show  merits.  Special  reports  or 
theses  on  buildings  would  advance  the  cause  of  rational 
planning  among  the  coming  generation  of  librarians. 


110  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Frankness  Among  Librarians 

A  certain  amount  of  reticence  among  librarians  in 
talking  about  faults  of  their  own  buildings  to  visitors, 
leads  me  to  write  this  chapter.  Whether  it  is  due  to 
diffidence  in  posing  as  critics  without  enough  experience, 
or  more  likely  to  a  spirit  of  loyalty  to  their  institution, 
I  have  not  been  able  to  determine.  But  certainly  such 
a  spirit  is  disloyal  to  the  cause  of  library  science.  No 
progress  can  be  made  in  building  if  every  librarian  must 
act  only  on  his  own  experience  for  his  own  building. 
Every  sensible  man  can  see  the  good,  the  bad  and  the 
indifferent  among  the  tools  put  into  his  hands.  Every 
practical  man  can  suggest  corrections  of  faults,  perfec- 
tion of  the  mediocre,  even  improvement  of  the  good. 
When  a  brother-librarian  who  is  about  to  build  comes  to 
ask  advice  and  look  over  methods  and  means,  the  largest 
loyalty  is  due  to  one's  profession  and  the  public,  and  the 
incumbent  ought  to  give  full  benefit  of  his  experience 
and  his  opinion  to  the  visitor,  under  the  pledge  of  silence 
if  he  wishes,  but  concealing  nothing.  His  opinions  may 
be  mistaken,  his  experience  slender,  but  the  very  state- 
ment will  challenge  the  judgment  of  the  inquirer  and 
enlarge  the  scope  of  his  vision. 

So  the  visitor  in  his  turn,  after  going  through  his 
planning,  and  occupying  his  new  library,  ought  to  pass 
the  methods  he  has  selected,  minutely  in  review,  and 
speak  or  write  of  them  to  visitors,  at  clubs,  or  in  pro- 
fessional periodicals,  with  like  frankness.  If  he  will  be 
candid  about  his  own  experience,  a  librarian  who  has 
just  built  may  be  the  wisest  critic  possible,  and  may 
doubly  help  those  who  follow  in  his  path. 


PRINCIPLES  111 

He  who  has  experimented  with  a  new  device  or  a  new 
method,  if  he  tests  thoroughly,  impartially  and  sanely, 
can  be  especially  useful  to  his  fellows  by  frankness  in 
reporting  his  praise  or  criticism. 

Indeed,  every  experienced  librarian  who  is  also 
ingenious,  ought  to  try  experiments  as  he  has  the 
opportunity,  not  only  in  methods  but  in  appliances. 
A  hundred  bright  minds,  working  in  the  same  direction, 
will  be  sure  to  hit  upon  new  devices  which  will  sim- 
plify processes  and  better  the  building  and  furnishing  of 
years  to  come. 


112  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Service  and  Supervision 

These  are  underlying  elements  of  library  planning 
which  only  a  librarian  who  has  practised  them  thoroughly 
understands.  Even  the  "library  architect"  may  fail  to 
grasp  these  on  a  new  problem. 

"Have  the  building  convenient  for  both  work  and 
supervision,  where  many  a  costly  building  fails.  Have 
all  departments  in  harmonious  relations,  so  as  to  serve 
the  public  best,  and  at  least  cost  in  money,  time,  and 
labor."  — Eastman.1 

Service.  Short  lines  for  every  process  are  the  essen- 
tial. There  has  been  rather  a  tendency  among  architects 
to  imagine  that  modern  contrivances  can  overcome  space, 
but  every  step,  every  motion,  takes  time;  every  step, 
every  motion  saved,  promotes  efficient  service,  and 
keeps  the  public  waiting  a  second  less.  If  you  use 
pages  or  "runners,"  plan  to  shorten  their  runs.  If  you 
use  mechanical  substitutes,  speed  them  up,  run  them 
on  straight  lines,  avoid  complications  and  corners. 
Study  every  motion,  every  handling  of  a  book  in  all  the 
processes  of  a  library,  and  save  a  second  here  and  a 
second  there.  In  sizable  buildings,  you  will  thus  be 
able  to  save  not  only  minutes  but  often  hours  through 
every  work  day  of  their  future.  "Many  a  mickle  saves 
a  muckle,"  is  true  of  packing,  passing,  cataloguing, 
handling,  cleaning,  collecting,  distributing. 

Do  not  be  deceived  by  the  suggestion  that  labor- 
saving  devices  change  principles.  A  yard  is  more  than 
a  foot,  by  machine  as  well  as  by  boy.  Save  time  on 
machines  as  on  pages.  Your  needs  will  soon  outrun 
both. 

!26L.  J.  Conf.  43. 


PRINCIPLES  113 

Supervision.  "Helpfulness  should  be  aimed  at,  rather 
than  supervision,"  says  Champneys,1  and  certainly  it 
should  be  aimed  at  with  supervision.  Accessibility  to 
helpless  inquirers  invites  as  well  as  facilitates  easy 
inquiries.  But  in  America  we  find  that  supervision 
deters  as  well  as  detects  disorder,  noise,  mutilation, 
theft. 

Duff-Brown 2  calls  attention  to  one  aid  not  often 
thought  of,  —  the  supervision  of  one  reader  over 
another.  This  acts  where  students  and  serious  readers 
congregate,  but  somewhat  fails  in  periodical  and  light- 
reading  and  children's  rooms.  There  supervision  is 
more  necessary. 

In  small  libraries,  supervision  from  the  delivery  desk 
is  all  that  is  generally  possible.  It  can  be  facilitated  by 
open  floors,  glass  screens,  avoidance  of  corners  or  pro- 
jections, and  radial  bookcases.  In  larger  libraries,  pro- 
vision for  attendants  at  strategic  points,  such  as  corners 
which  command  adjoining  rooms,  can  be  so  arranged 
as  to  help  and  supervise  with  minimum  service.  A 
well-arranged  desk  for  each  attendant  placed  thus  on 
picket,  will  enable  him  or  her  to  pursue  any  assigned 
desk  work,  without  interfering  with  supervision  or 
information. 

Supervision  of  doors,  entrance  halls  and  stairways, 
is  most  necessary ;  —  in  small  libraries,  from  the  desk ;  in 
large  libraries,  through  hall  porters,  who  can  also  watch 
art  treasures  and  exhibition  cases,  as  well  as  direct 
visitors,  and  avert  undesirables. 

1 P.  133.  2  p.  101. 


114  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Decoration:    Ornament 

Ornament  is  the  last  thing  to  think  of  about  a  library. 
Noticeable  exterior  ornament  is  not  needed  for  dignity, 
and  conflicts  with  simplicity,  two  appropriate  library 
qualities.  "Outside  ornament  is  often  vulgar,"  says 
Champneys.1  Even  statuary  is  not  in  keeping  unless 
the  building  has  memorial  purposes,  for  which  additional 
funds  have  been  provided.  Inside  attempts  at  ornament 
are  often  grotesque.  Marble  columns  are  out  of  place, 
marble  walls  and  staircases  showy  rather  than  sensible, 
wall  or  ceiling  frescoes  distracting,  floor  inlays  discon- 
certing. If  funds  allow,  such  features  and  portraits  in 
vestibules,  passage-ways  and  conversation  rooms  do 
not  interfere  with  reading  or  service.  Portraits  of 
donors  or  deceased  trustees  or  librarians  may  do  in  de- 
livery-rooms or  light-reading  rooms  in  which  exigencies 
of  use  require  high  enough  walls  and  few  enough  windows 
to  leave  available  wall  space.  But  in  rooms  for  serious 
reading,  there  should  be  no  features  of  any  kind  to  inter- 
fere with  reading  or  attract  non-readers.  Burgoyne 
comments,2  "In  Boston,  the  decorative  art  makes  the 
public  rooms  art  galleries  instead  of  places  for  study. 
The  two  objects  are  quite  incompatible.  The  crowds 
who  gather  to  inspect  the  decorations  are  a  nuisance 
to  the  student  who  comes  to  study."  See  also  the 
Report  of  the  Examiners  of  the  Boston  Public  Library 
in  1895. 

"In  the  reading  rooms,  ornament  which  attracts  the 
eye  and  creates  interest,  is  a  hindrance  to  the  usefulness 
of  the  rooms."  — Beresford  Pile? 

1  p.  137.  2  p.  257.  3  Int.  Conf.  (1907)  106. 


PRINCIPLES  115 

"Interior  decoration  should  be  subordinated  to  the 
use  of  the  building."  —  Champneys.1 

Isadore,  Bishop  of  Seville2  (A.D.  600)  says  that  "The 
best  architects  object  to  gilded  ceilings  in  libraries,  and 
to  any  other  marble  than  cipollino  for  the  floor,  because 
the  glitter  of  gold  is  hurtful  to  the  eyes,  while  the  green 
of  cipollino  is  restful  to  them." 

From  this  it  appears  that  the  architects  of  that  age 
were  more  considerate  of  readers  than  some  in  our  own 
generation. 

Coloring.  I  would  draw  a  distinction  between  orna- 
ment and  decorous  decoration.  If  as  much  attention 
be  given  to  the  aesthetic  influence  as  to  the  irradiating 
and  ophthalmic  effects  of  shades  of  color  on  wall  and 
ceiling,  the  resulting  beauty  would  at  the  same  time 
charm,  soothe  and  satisfy  all  visitors.  Sufficient  study 
is  rarely  ever  given  to  this  element  of  "Venustas."  In 
one  of  my  own  early  problems,  I  employed  a  young  artist 
who  had  a  reputation  as  a  colorist,  to  select  tints  for 
different  rooms,  with  a  result  which  fully  justified  the 
small  fee  he  charged. 

See  four  tints  suggested  at  page  15  of  the  Boston 
report,  mentioned  under  "Light,  Artificial."3  From 
that  report,4  I  quote:  — 

"For  bright,  sunny  rooms  a  very  light  green  is  prob- 
ably the  best  shade." 

"For  darker  rooms,  a  light  buff." 

"The  ceiling  should  be  white,  or  slightly  tinted." 

"The  woodwork  should  be  of  a  light  color  such  as 
that  of  natural  woods.  Under  no  circumstances  are 
dark  walls  and  woodwork  permissible." 

(Thisapplies  to  schoolrooms,  but  what  applies  to  scholars 
equally  applies  to  readers  in  libraries,  and  these  precepts 
apply  to  furniture  as  well  as  to  the  other  woodwork.) 

1  p.  137.         2  Clark,  p.  41.        3  p.  205  of  this  volume.         t  p.  7. 


116  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Miss  Marvin  1  suggests  that,  — 

"Green,  yellow,  terra-cotta,  light  brown,  and  tan  are 
good." 

"No  decoration  is  necessary  except  tinting."  [Excel- 
lent.] 

"Corticene  or  burlap  is  good  background  for  pictures." 

"Only  one  color  is  desirable  for  the  interior  of  a  small 
library." 

Reflection  of  light.  Not  only  is  color  of  walls  and 
ceiling  a  prime  element  in  decoration,  but  it  also  plays 
a  large  part  in  the  cheerfulness  and  effectiveness  of 
diffused  light,  both  natural  and  artificial;  especially 
in  systems  of  indirect  lighting.  To  select  colors  bright 
enough  to  reflect,  and  soft  enough  not  to  dazzle,  is  one 
of  the  nice  problems  of  planning. 

1  P.  16. 


PRINCIPLES  117 


Architectural   Styles 

I  dislike  to  stray  upon  the  architect's  province,  but 
this  subject  affects  planning  so  radically,  that  I  will 
venture  to  allude  to  it  here,  not  as  advice  to  architects 
but  as  a  warning  to  building  committees.  In  many 
conditions  for  competitions  and  in  many  discussions 
among  trustees  where  there  happen  to  be  amateurs  in 
architecture  on  the  board,  I  see  directions  or  hear  sug- 
gestions about  this  or  that  style.  To  formulate  any 
specific  direction  to  the  architect  on  this  point  at  the 
outset  seems  to  me  a  fatal  mistake.  The  style  ought  to 
develop  from  the  needs  of  the  particular  problem  in 
hand.  Until  the  architect  knows  just  what  he  has  to 
construct,  to  prescribe  any  conventional  style  only 
cramps  him.  Neither  practical  libraries  nor  American 
architecture  can  be  developed  by  such  swaddling  clothes. 
Select  an  architect  who  can  be  regarded  as  competent 
and  let  him  choose  or  create  a  style  without  lay  dicta- 
tion, after  he  comprehends  his  whole  problem.  Re- 
member, you  are  not  burying  an  old  style;  you  are  in 
at  the  birth  of  a  new  one. 

"The  most  noticeable  thing  about  architectural  styles 
is  the  spontaneity  of  their  growth,  developing  from  the 
obvious  conditions  of  building."  —  Russell  Sturgis.1 

"Having  agreed  on  a  good  plan,  you  cannot  properly 
say  to  the  architect,  'We  must  have  a  classical  building.' 
It  is  the  most  difficult  of  all  styles;  formal  symmetry 
requiring  exceptional  skill  in  the  architect." — W.  A. 
Otis.2 

1  Vol.  3,  col.  673.  2  8  P.  L.  203. 


118  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Montgomery  Schuyler  writes,  in  his  article  on  the 
''United  States,"  for  Sturgis's  Dictionary  of  Architec- 
ture,1 "For  more  than  a  generation,  scarcely  a  public 
building  was  erected  which  was  not  at  least  supposed 
by  its  builders  to  be  in  the  Grecian  style.  Nothing 
could  have  been  practically  more  inconvenient  than  the 
requirement  that  one  or  more  parts  of  a  building  divided 
into  offices  should  be  darkened  by  the  projecting  portico. 
In  many  cases  this  difficulty  was  sought  to  be  obviated 
by  converting  the  central  space  into  a  rotunda,  —  a 
wasteful  arrangement."  Such  is  an  architect's  comment 
on  a  feature  which  has  been  the  librarian's  bete  noir. 

To  quote  further  from  this  interesting  article :  — 

"The  United  States  had  thus  nothing  to  show  in 
current  building  but  copies  of  a  pure  and  refined  archi- 
tecture, implicated  with  dispositions  entirely  unsuitable 
to  almost  all  practical  requirements. 

"Even  the  most  thoughtful  of  revivalists  were  apt  to 
take  mediaeval  architecture  as  a  more  or  less  literal 
model,  rather  than  as  a  starting  point  for  modern 
work. 

"The  later  graduates  (of  the  French  school)  devoted 
themselves,  not  to  developing  an  architecture  out  of 
American  conditions,  but  to  domesticating  current 
French  work." 

(By  the  Chicago  World's  Fair)  "classic,  in  one  or 
another  of  its  modes,  was  re-established  as  the  most 
eligible  style  for  public  buildings.  No  architect  would 
now  think  of  submitting  in  competition  a  design  for  a 
public  building,  in  any  other  style  than  that  officially 
sanctioned  in  France. 

"There  is  no  longer  any  pretence  of  using  the  selected 
style  as  a  basis  or  point  of  departure  to  be  modified  and 
developed  in  accordance  with  American  needs  and  ways 

1  Vol.  3,  col.  913. 


PRINCIPLES  119 

of  thinking,  and  with  the  introduction  of  new  material 
and  new  modes  of  construction.  ...  In  civic  buildings 
it  may  be  said  as  a  rule  that  there  is  no  longer  even  an 
aspiration  toward  a  national  architecture." 

After  discussing  at  length  modern  commercial  buildings, 
Mr.  Schuyler  concludes  with  a  sentence  which  may  well 
be  applied  to  libraries:  "Out  of  the  satisfaction  of  com- 
monplace and  general  requirements  may  arise  the 
beginnings  of  a  national  architecture." 

Will  there  ever  be  evolved  a  distinctive  library  architec- 
ture? I  hardly  think  so.  It  will  be  possible  to  recog- 
nize a  library  as  you  can  now  tell  a  schoolhouse;  but 
libraries  if  well  planned  will  have  more  individualism, 
I  think,  more  characteristic  charm,  than  the  generality 
of  schoolhouses,  but  not  a  uniform  architecture. 

It  is  possible  indeed  that  library  loveliness  will  be 
developed  as  a  recognizable  type. 


120  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Amateurs  Dangerous 

In  looking  back  on  the  experience  of  thirty  years, 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  most  danger  in  library  plan- 
ning lies  in  amateur  interference.  Not  so  much  in  ama- 
teur librarians.  When  a  trustee  gets  interested  in  library 
methods  he  often  graduates  into  the  profession,  and 
becomes  a  leader.  For  instance,  Justin  Winsor,  who 
began  as  a  trustee,  became  a  librarian,  and  by  vigorous 
work  did  more  to  make  his  occupation  a  profession  than 
any  other  one  American.  Even  when  the  trustee  stops 
short  of  this,  he  may  sometimes  worry  his  librarian  by 
half-knowledge  and  undue  interference  in  administration, 
but  such  a  man  is  not  apt  to  impede  in  building,  for 
his  library  zeal  will  move  him  to  support  the  practical 
side  in  any  discussion. 

But  when  a  trustee  (or,  alas!  a  librarian)  is  an  amateur 
architect,  one  of  those  laymen  who  spend  an  English 
vacation  all  in  cathedral  towns,  and  a  French  tour  all 
in  the  chateau  district,  he  is  apt  to  be  troublesome,  and 
to  want  what  he  considers  good  style  in  architecture 
rather  than  good  methods  of  administration.  If  he  is 
put  on  the  building  committee,  and  it  selects  a  too 
artistic  architect,  one  who  magnifies  "Venustas"  unduly 
at  the  cost  of  "Utilitas,"  the  library  is  doomed.  Its 
new  building  may  be  widely  pictured  in  the  magazines, 
but  it  will  not  be  so  much  used  by  readers,  or  praised 
by  librarians.  Better  modest  ignorance,  with  common- 
sense,  than  too  much  half-knowledge  and  pseudo-taste 
in  art  or  architecture. 


PRINCIPLES  121 


Dry-rot  Deadening 

One  of  the  greatest  dangers  in  building  is  dry-rot  — 
not  in  material  or  books,  but  human  desiccation. 

There  is  not  much  to  fear  from  the  architect.  Unless 
he  is  too  much  wedded  to  precedents  and  styles,  he  will 
be  progressive  enough,  under  good  advice.  But  a  board 
of  trustees,  often  composed  of  elderly  men,  may  be  ultra- 
conservative,  remembering  and  clinging  to  the  memory 
of  library  methods  and  especially  old  styles  of  library 
buildings,  current  when  they  were  young.  If  they  are 
wise  enough,  however,  to  choose  a  building  committee 
of  sane  and  open-minded  men,  whose  recommendations, 
founded  on  expert  advice,  they  will  listen  to,  these  vota- 
ries of  tradition  will  not  prove  too  obstructive. 

After  all,  the  real  danger  is  from  the  local  librarian 
who  has  stopped  growing.  Just  as  there  are  children  in 
school  who  are  bright  scholars  only  up  to  a  certain  point, 
where  they  seem  to  stop  growing,  there  are  men  and 
women  librarians,  very  progressive  at  first,  who  come  to 
an  age  of  suspended  growth,  and  absolutely  exclude 
either  new  ideas  or  the  comprehension  of  future  devel- 
opment. They  may  have  served  so  well  in  the  past, 
or  be  so  popular  personally,  or  discharge  many  of  their 
functions  so  well,  that  they  are  retained  in  their  posi- 
tions as  librarians.  They  may  still  be  useful  in  the 
every-day  service  of  the  public,  but  such  stunted  pro- 
gress will  utterly  unfit  them  to  act  as  building  advisers, 
who  require  a  large  view  of  the  future.  If  you  have 
such  a  one  as  your  local  librarian,  it  is  your  first  duty 
to  get  him  the  best  expert  you  can  find  to  spur  him  up. 
Unless  the  reactionary  is  also  impracticable  or  jealous, 
he  may  work  well  in  harness  with  an  adviser,  by  giving 
full  presentation  of  local  needs 


c. 

PERSONNEL 


In  this  Book 

are  discussed  the  various 

phases  of  the  personal  equation  which 

affect  the  success  or  failure 

of  library  planning. 


c. 

PERSONNEL 


The   Public 

The  root  of  library  opinion  and  support  is  public 
sentiment.  Indirectly,  it  nourishes  the  spirit  which 
inspires  the  private  donor.  Directly,  it  supplies  the 
impulse  which  founds  the  library;  the  enthusiasm  which 
supports  it  liberally;  the  civic  wisdom  and  pride 
which  erect  buildings;  the  large  and  democratic  taste 
which  approves  adequate  facilities,  sound  construction, 
quiet  and  appropriate  beauty  in  building. 

The  aim  in  the  United  States  is  to  make  the  library 
an  essential  part  of  education,  not  only  in  acting  with  the 
school  system,  but  in  carrying  on  the  graduate  to  a 
larger  education  at  home,  not  only  literary  and  social, 
but  industrial  as  well,  so  as  to  develop  law-abiding  and 
useful  citizens.  There  is  a  further  aim,  akin  to  that  of 
parks  and  playgrounds,  in  providing  a  sober  recreation 
to  rival  the  attractions  of  saloons  and  street  corners 
and  dance  halls. 

When  the  public  can  be  convinced  that  its  library 
works  to  these  ends  and  is  economically  and  efficiently 
managed,  the  community  will  support  it  generously. 
When  the  time  comes  for  building,  sufficient  funds  can 
generally  be  got  without  trouble.  The  voters  will  not 
forget  Washington's  injunction,  "Promote,  as  objects  of 
primary  importance,  institutions  for  the  general  diffu- 
sion of  knowledge,"  and  they  will  rank  the  library  first 
among  such  institutions. 


126  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"There  is  probably  no  mode  of  spending  public  money 
which  gives  a  more  extraordinary  and  immediate  re- 
turn in  utility  and  innocent  enjoyment." — -Stanley 
Jevons,  quoted  by  Crunden. 

In  library  building,  realize  that  the  public,  which 
pays,  should  get  every  possible  service  in  its  best  form, 
service  for  educated  and  uneducated  readers;  for  work- 
men and  workwomen,  as  well  as  for  scholars,  for  the 
children  of  all,  and  for  the  teachers  of  the  children. 
Especial  thought  should  be  given  to  those  citizens  who 
can  have  no  large  libraries  of  their  own.  Your  library 
should  be  made  so  simple  and  homelike  that  it  will  invite 
them  as  a  home  or  a  club  they  own. 

Wise  Election  of  Trustees.  The  town  can  begin 
to  provide  for  wise  building  by  paying  some  attention 
to  selecting  suitable  trustees.  The  position  is  an 
honorary  one  in  most  towns,  and  is  usually  given  to 
clergymen,  lawyers,  men  of  literary  taste,  each  of  whom 
is,  as  it  were,  citizen  emeritus,  retired  from  active 
life,  and  remote  from  the  wants  of  the  public.  The 
board  is  apt  to  become  a  cosy  club,  and  to  get  into  a  rut. 
Especially  is  this  so  if  it  is  in-breeding;  allowed  to  select 
its  own  members,  and  to  become  a  clique.  If  Harvard 
College  cannot  allow  its  overseers  to  serve  more  than  two 
terms  successively,  towns  should  not  allow  any  town 
board  to  become  perpetual.  Especially  may  this  autoc- 
racy work  harm  in  building.  Men  chosen  for  literary 
taste  are  not  always  the  most  practical.  There  ought 
to  be  on  the  board  of  trustees  representatives  of  every 
section  and  every  large  element  in  the  town.  Among 
them  there  should  be  enough  wise,  level-headed  men  to 
make  up  a  building  committee,  just  the  kind  of  men  who 
would  naturally  be  selected  as  building  committee  of  a 
bank  or  church,  men  of  judicial  temperament  who  can 
weigh  the  argument  of  librarian  and  architect,  and  of 


PERSONNEL  127 

sober  judgment  to  curb  extravagance  in  either.  It  is 
the  part  of  the  public  to  elect  such  men,  and  to  defer 
to  their  judgment  when  selected.  Literary  taste  is 
not  needed  on  building  committees.  The  librarian 
ought  to  know  how  to  handle  books;  his  judgment 
will  suffice.  Artistic  taste  is  not  needed;  a  good  ar- 
chitect ought  to  have  that  in  his  training. 

Judgment.  In  one  final  point  the  public  can  help 
good  planning;  in  their  expression  of  opinion,  their 
criticism  or  approbation  of  the  building  after  completion. 

Even  the  stranger  who  flashes  through  the  town  in 
his  automobile  can  carry  away  into  his  own  community 
an  intelligent  lesson.  If  the  building  has  been  properly 
planned,  he  should  say,  "That  is  evidently  a  library,  a 
good  library;  just  suited  to  this  town  (or  institution), 
and  evidently  doing  good  work  here." 

The  citizen  of  the  town  should  criticize  its  exterior 
not  so  much  for  splendor  as  for  appropriateness  and 
good  taste.  Does  it  suggest  to  him,  and  invite  him  to, 
the  study  of  books  or  the  recreation  of  reading?  Even 
then,  better  suspend  judgment  until  he  sees  or  hears 
how  the  new  library  works  as  a  library.  If  he  can  edu- 
cate himself  to  this  degree,  his  lay  comment  will  have 
some  share  in  the  progress  of  library  science. 


128  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Place  of  the  Library  Among  Buildings 

A  great  deal  of  doubt  prevails  in  communities  as  to 
just  how  much  money  they  are  justified  in  putting  into 
a  library  building.  In  some  towns,  a  disposition  is 
shown  by  local  economists,  to  give  it  a  low  relative  posi- 
tion. They  will  grant  liberal  appropriations  for  a 
florid  town  hall,  for  a  large  high  school,  for  a  com- 
modious grammar  or  primary  school,  for  a  handsome 
headquarters  for  the  fire  department,  even  for  a  granite 
police  station,  but  they  hestitate  at  a  roomy  building 
for  the  public  library.  This  is  a  narrow  way  to  look 
at  it,  for  many  more  residents  are  served  and  largely 
served  by  a  library  of  the  modern  active  type,  than  by 
any  one  school  or  other  institution.  It  has  often  been 
said  forcibly,  that  the  library  should  rank  just  ahead  of 
the  high  school,  and  have  a  better  building  and  better 
support. 

Site.  Though  the  choice  of  the  site  falls  to  the 
trustees,  liberality  in  buying  it  and  public  spirit  in  offering 
sites  at  a  low  price,  are  incumbent  on  citizens,  as  well  as 
discouragement  of  squabbles  arising  from  desire  to  benefit 
real  estate  in  different  localities.  A  large  charity  should 
be  extended  to  the  trustees,  under  their  perplexities, 
and  a  ready  confirmation  of  their  choice. 

Ornament.  There  is  often  an  opinion  in  the  com- 
munity, perhaps  even  among  the  trustees,  in  favor  of 
more  solid  construction  or  more  ornamental  features  than 
are  necessary  or  appropriate  in  a  public  library  building. 
This  should  be  stoutly  contested  by  the  more  sensible  cit- 
izens, on  the  ground  that  a  library  is  no  more  the  object 


PERSONNEL  129 

of  unnecessary  expense  or  elaboration,  than  a  school- 
house.  It  is  a  fairly  well  settled  idea  that  schoolhouses 
should  not  be  extravagant,  on  the  ground  both  of  econ- 
omy and  good  taste.  It  should  not  be  hard  to  persuade 
a  community  to  the  same  conviction  as  to  libraries. 
If,  however,  the  opinion  is  obstinate,  the  suggestion 
might  be  made  that  a  sum  be  appropriated  sufficient  to 
provide  an  ample  but  simple  library  building,  and  then 
offer  a  vote  of  an  additional  sum  for  architectural  elabor- 
ation. This  would  bring  the  question  squarely  before  the 
people. 

The  trustees  ought  to  be  left  to  work  out  their  own 
problem  first  and  ask  for  the  necessary  funds.  If  their 
request  seems  proper,  and  the  trustees  have  the  confi- 
dence of  the  public,  the  funds  should  be  promptly  voted. 
If  not,  a  committee  which  has  the  confidence  of  the 
public  can  be  appointed  to  report,  but  when  they  re- 
port the  trustees  should  be  left  to  plan  the  library.  They 
will  have  to  run  it.  If  they  still  lack  your  confidence, 
change  them  at  the  next  election. 


130  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


The  Donor 

More  striking  even  than  the  library  movement  itself, 
and  than  public  liberality  toward  libraries,  are  the  con- 
stant and  generous  gifts  of  private  citizens,  not  only  to 
their  native  towns,  and  as  memorials  to  friends,  but 
even  to  needy  communities  alien  to  the  giver. 

"The  most  wonderful  phenomena  in  American  social 
development." — H.B.  Adams.1 

Of  these  donors  Andrew  Carnegie  has  been  the  chief 
?.nd  the  exemplar.  His  generosity  has  been  wise, 
helpful,  discriminating.  He  has  avoided  pauperizing 
his  beneficiaries  and  has  stipulated  that  they  also 
help  themselves,  sometimes  in  building,  always  in 
supporting.  He  has  carefully  apportioned  his  gifts 
to  the  size  and  needs  of  each  institution  or  com- 
munity. Most  other  donors  have  followed  his  example, 
and  the  library  movement  has  been  judiciously 
forwarded  by  these  public-spirited  friends.  Of  the 
buildings  reported  in  the  Massachusetts  1899  Report, 
103  were  gifts  (10  old  buildings,  93  new)  from  private 
donors,  and  19  more  part  public,  part  private.  It  is 
not  always  possible  to  praise  the  libraries  they  have 
built;  it  is  wise  sometimes  to  ignore  their  motives;  but 
the  wisdom  of  their  intentions  deserves  high  praise  and 
lavish  gratitude.  This  generosity  has  not  been  confined 
to  America.  Edwards2  notes  that  out  of  180  special 
libraries  he  enumerates  from  all  countries,  164  were 
gifts.  Fletcher  3  listed  60  such  gifts  in  America  when  he 
wrote,  without  counting  Carnegie.  The  best  gifts  are 
those  which  give  a  sum  for  building  and  another  for  books 
1  p.  56.  2  p.  357.  3  p.  143. 


PERSONNEL  131 

and  care.  Thus  John  Jacob  Astor  l  left  to  the  Astor 
library,  $175,000  for  a  building,  $120,000  for  books,  and 
$205,000,  the  interest  to  go  to  maintenance. 

This  tide  of  benefactions  may  last  even  through  the 
generation  which  will  follow  Carnegie  and  his  fellows, 
and  will  doubtless  parallel  the  progress  of  public  build- 
ing for  many  years  to  come. 

All  donors,  however,  have  not  been  as  wise.  Some 
of  them  have  overweighted  quiet  communities  with 
grotesque  piles.  Some  of  them  have  impoverished  poor 
communities  by  expensive  piles  without  endowment. 

"There  is  a  small  library  building  in  a  Connecticut 
town,  designed  on  a  lavish  classical  scale.  Its  centre  is 
formed  by  a  large,  round  and  empty  vestibule  fit  rather 
to  receive  a  swimming  tank  than  a  delivery  desk.  A 
beautiful  dome  covers  this  vestibule,  and  makes  the 
exterior  look  like  a  mortuary  chapel.  Such  a  mistake 
has  cost  $300,000,  besides  the  expense  of  administra- 
tion." —  0.  Bluemner.2 

But  this  bizarre  feature  was  not  all  the  architect's  fault, 
it  was  mainly  the  donor's.  A  prominent  architect  told  me 
that  this  commission  was  first  given  to  him.  He  studied 
the  needs  of  the  town,  and  its  characteristics,  and 
following  his  instructions  not  to  spare  cost,  he  designed 
as  fine  a  library  as  he  thought  would  suit  and  serve 
such  a  place.  On  taking  his  sketch  to  the  donor,  he 
was  met  with  the  contemptuous  speech.  "If  that  is  the 
finest  library  you  can  get  up,  I  will  find  an  architect 
who  can  do  better."  And  he  did.  "Thus,"  said  my 
friend,  "I  learned  a  lesson  not  to  cut  down  my  fee  by 
being  too  conscientious." 

The  worst  mistake  a  donor  can  make  is  to  give  the 
building  of  the  library  to  some  protege,  or  favorite 
architect,  without  engaging  a  library  expert  to  advise 

1  See  Edwards,  p.  313.  3  3  P.  L.  375. 


132  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

him.  There  is  one  prominent  university  where  all  the 
buildings  are  useful  and  beautiful  but  one.  This  a 
donor  gave,  but  got  a  young  friend  to  design  it  in  New 
York,  without  seeing  the  site,  or  consulting  the  professors 
in  charge.  The  result  is  a  blot  and  a  shame. 

A  Library  no  Taj  Mahal.  If  any  millionaire  sees 
this  whose  affection  for  a  lost  friend  leads  him  to  build  a 
library  as  a  memorial,  let  me  earnestly  beg  him  to 
make  his  building  very  modest  and  practical, — with  a 
commensurate  endowment,  if  he  will.  But  if  he  wants 
to  build  a  beautiful  tomb,  as  he  has  a  right  to  do,  let 
him  select  some  other  more  appro riate  form.  A  library, 
of  all  institutions,  is  alive  and  always  busy.  The  work 
it  can  do  might  be  a  lasting  memorial  to  a  lovely  and 
useful  character,  but  not  if  it  is  smothered  and  deadened 
by  an  architectural  snuffer.  I  would  suggest  that  a  fine 
gift  to  a  small  town  would  be  a  group  of  buildings,  say 
a  town  hall,  a  library  and  a  high  school,  the  three 
separate  but  connected  by  arcades,  a  noble  but  not 
oppressively  grand  and  out-of-place  trio;  each  simple 
and  perfect  for  its  use  and  place. 

The  library,  properly  criticised  by  Mr.  Bluemner, 
cost  $300,000.  The  town  in  which  it  is  situated  had 
at  the  time  its  library  was  given,  about  4,000  population. 
In  looking  over  the  list  of  Carnegie  gifts,  I  note  that  a 
town  of  6,000  was  allotted  $15,000  as  his  idea  of  a  suit- 
able building  for  so  small  a  place.  Twenty  libraries  of 
this  size  could  be  built  for  the  cost  of  the  Connecticut 
misfit. 


PERSONNEL  133 


The  Institution 

Any  library  owned  by  an  institution  and  not  by  the 
public,  ought  to  have  as  good  and  as  thorough  advice 
as  it  can  get  from  the  wisest  and  most  experienced 
librarians  of  similar  institutions,  which  its  own  librarian 
or  any  expert  will  know  how  to  elicit.  It  will  be  fortu- 
nate if  it  can  secure  as  its  own  expert,  some  such  librarian 
who  has  recently  gone  through  the  whole  experience  of 
building. 

The  officers  of  the  institution  should  define  before- 
hand, just  what  scope  its  library  is  to  cover;  just 
how  it  is  to  serve  members,  special  students  and  vis- 
itors; how  much  money  will  be  required  for  suitable 
building  and  thorough  equipment ;  where  enough  money 
is  to  come  from ;  what  site  (if  site  is  not  already  chosen) 
is  most  central  for  probable  readers  and  will  lend  itself 
most  readily  to  the  purposes  of  the  association. 

If  its  library  is  sufficiently  large  for  a  suite  of  rooms, 
but  not  large  enough  to  demand  a  separate  building,  its 
trustees  and  architects  should  devote  to  the  library, 
if  possible,  a  separate  floor  or  a  separate  wing  or  special 
ell,  with  provisions  for  differentiation,  change,  and 
growth,  and  should  so  locate  other  departments  that 
are  most  closely  affiliated  with  the  library,  in  the  closest 
juxtaposition. 

Indeed,  where  the  library  has  begun  to  be  important, 
rooms  need  expert  advice  in  location  and  details  almost 
as  much  as  the  building.  But  when  it  has  attained  the 
dignity  of  separate  housing,  all  that  is  said  elsewhere 
about  expert  advice  applies  with  double  force  to  a  highly 
specialized  institution. 


134  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


The  Trustees 

To  the  trustees  falls  full  and  final  responsibility  for 
all  library  building.  They  formulate  the  needs  of  the 
library,  get  the  funds  from  the  proper  body,  choose 
the  site,  elect  the  librarian,  and  select  the  architect. 
After  hearing  the  librarian  and  architect,  they  decide 
on  all  its  exterior  and  interior  features.  With  them 
should  really  rest  either  praise  or  blame  for  the  result. 
Unlike  the  librarian  and  architect,  they  serve  without 
stipend.  They  deserve  every  consideration  and  full 
support. 

But  not  every  trustee  is  an  archangel.  Boards  of 
trustees  may  harbor  many  faddists,  many  cranks, 
many  busy-bodies.  How  to  head  these  off  from  meddling 
with  building  is  a  problem  in  tact.  There  is  often  a 
member  who  "knows  it  all,"  and  cannot  be  moved  by 
any  expert  advice.  He  is  just  the  man  who  wants  to 
take  control.  He  is  dangerous. 

"More  buildings  are  spoiled  by  clients  than  by  archi- 
tects." — E.  B.  Green.1  And  this  kind  of  trustee  is  the 
client  who  is  most  apt  to  spoil  the  library. 

"The  trustee  will  be  careful  not  to  consider  himself  an 
expert."  —  Dr.  Jas.  H.  Canfield.2  But  if  there  is  a  sane 
majority  who  realize  the  seriousness  and  extent  of  their 
task,  they  can  at  least  select  their  sanest  three  to  serve 
as  a  building  committee,  delegating  to  them  details  of 
investigation,  reserving  to  the  full  board  only  important 
points  reported  by  the  committee. 

1 27  L.  J.  Conf.  204.  2  6  P.  L.  602. 


PERSONNEL  135 

In  small  communities  the  trustees  will  probably  be 
men  of  greater  experience  in  affairs  than  their  librarian, 
and  better  able  to  make  investigations  than  he.  They 
will  also  be  better  able  to  deal  with  the  architect, 
and  to  judge  the  soundness  of  his  advice.  As  the 
library  is  larger,  large  enough  to  have  a  mature  and 
trained  librarian,  the  board  need  not  take  an  active  part 
but  may  be  content  to  serve  as  a  court  of  appeal. 

Experience  of  the  past  has  shown  that  there  are  two 
prevalent  dangers:  first,  the  idea  that  the  board  has  a 
primary  function  to  make  their  building  an  ornament  to 
the  town  or  institution;  second,  the  delusion  of  some 
member  that  a  little  dabbling  in  architecture  or  building 
has  made  him  competent  to  advise  the  architect. 

If  a  library  can  be  made  both  practical  and  beautiful 
within  the  appropriation  by  expert  advice,  free  from  ama- 
teur experience,  it  is  enough  for  the  trustees  to  take 
pride  in,  that  they  have  furnished  wise  guidance  to  such 
a  happy  result.  Interference  with  technical  details  on 
their  part  is  very  unwise.  The  board  should  realize 
that  they  are  trustees  of  the  library,  not  an  Art  Com- 
mission, and  that  the  special  trust  committed  to  them, 
the  trust  to  which  they  must  be  true,  is  the  use  of  books, 
not  the  abuse  of  architecture. 


136  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


The  Building  Committee 

Pick  out  the  building  committee  very  carefully,  for 
fitness,  not  out  of  courtesy,  or  because  certain  members 
want  to  serve  on  it. 

A  judicial  disposition,  common  sense,  an  open  mind, 
are  necessary;  for  they  have  to  consult  and  instruct 
the  architect  and  the  library  expert,  to  ratify  their  recom- 
mendations and  decide  where  they  differ. 

The  constitution  of  this  committee  is  really  the  crux 
of  building.  On  their  judgment  rests  the  event  of  suc- 
cess or  failure  in  planning.  Their  chief  duty  is  to  weigh 
the  advice  of  experts. 

"The  Building  Committee  usually  has  very  vague 
ideas  [at  first]  about  size,  location  or  requirements." 
—  Bluemner.1 

Once  constituted,  this  committee  should  relieve  the 
board  of  minutiae  of  planning.  If  they  are  wise,  they 
will  throw  the  burden  of  all  inquiry,  inspection  and 
initial  steps  on  librarian  and  architect.  If  these  agree, 
the  committee  may  take  steps  to  verify  their  conclusion, 
but  need  not  be  themselves  active.  Their  function 
is  like  that  of  a  "struck  jury,"  to  report  from  time  to 
time  to  the  full  board  for  ratification  of  their  decisions. 
Perhaps  their  most  difficult  function  will  be  to  curb  the 
architect  in  expense  and  unnecessary  ornament. 

They  will  have  all  they  ought  to  try  to  do,  in  decid- 
ing various  questions  which  will  arise  in  planning,  and 
in  their  services  as  umpires  they  can  earn  the  thanks 
of  their  fellow-citizens. 

1 3  L.  P.  3. 


PERSONNEL  137 


Free  Advice 

If  you  hesitate  to  pay  money  for  an  expert  to  give 
special  study  to  all  your  problems  of  planning,  you 
can  get  good  advice  from  many  sources  in  driblets.  In 
the  first  place,  your  librarian  will  naturally  contribute 
all  he  knows  without  extra  charge.  In  England,  Duff- 
Brown  suggests  that  at  the  outset  candidates  for  libra- 
rianship  should  be  asked,  "Do  you  possess  any  practical 
knowledge  of  library  planning?"1  This  qualification  is 
not  often  considered  in  America;  and  the  ordinary 
library  education  and  experience  do  not  develop  it. 
But  your  librarian  may  happen  to  have  served  through 
building  problems  in  some  previous  position.  If  such 
an  expert  has  thus  been  fortunately  secured  in  ad- 
vance, his  advice  will  be  freely  given.  Even  if 
not,  any  fairly  good  librarian  ought  to  know  where 
to  look  in  books  for  information,  and  to  gradually 
formulate  his  ideas,  to  be  put  into  such  brief  and 
pointed  queries  as  he  is  justified  in  propounding  to  other 
librarians. 

If  you  have  a  state  library  commission,  you  are 
allowed  to  ask  counsel  from  them.  In  some  states  the 
law  provides  that  they  shall  give  expert  advice  on 
building,  when  asked  for  it.  In  all  states  such  a  custom 
prevails.  If  there  is  no  commission  in  your  state,  the 
commission  of  a  neighboring  state  would  doubtless  be 
glad  to  advise. 

To  good  librarians  everywhere,  even  to  those  who 
have  become  paid  experts,  you  can  always  look  for  such 
gratuitous  consideration  as  does  not  make  too  much 

1  p.  45. 


138  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

demand  on  their  time.  Their  experience  and  judgment 
will  be  generously  given  free.  "If  there  be  any  profes- 
sion in  which  there  is  community  of  ideas,"  says  Miss 
Plummer,  "it  is  that  of  librarianship."1  But  always 
remember  that  librarians  whose  advice  is  worth  asking, 
are  very  busy  with  the  work  of  their  own  libraries. ' 

"Information  on  specific  points  is  freely  given  by  libra- 
rians, but  in  the  midst  of  pressing  official  duties  it  is 
often  a  severe  tax  on  their  time.  It  is  also  impossible, 
in  the  brief  space  of  such  a  reply,  and  without  learning 
the  resources  at  command,  to  give  much  useful 
information."  —  W.  F.  Pooled 

Boil  down  your  queries,  into  pointed  questions  which 
can  be  briefly  answered.  Draw  them  off  in  a  list,  with 
spaces  for  answers,  which  can  be  filled  in  and  returned 
without  labor  of  copying,  and  enclose  a  stamped  return 
envelope.  So  will  you  not  "ride  a  free  horse  to  death," 
and  will  preserve  your  adviser  fresh  for  further  usefulness. 

1  Hints  for  Small  Libraries,  4.  2  P.  L.  1876,  477. 


PERSONNEL  139 


But  be  Sure  to  Get  Good  Advice 

Either  from  your  own  librarian  or  his  friends,  or  from 
a  library  commission,  get  thorough  advice  and  special 
study  for  every  point  in  every  department  as  you  plan, 
and  before  allowing  any  exterior  features  to  be  settled. 
Do  not  put  too  heavy  a  burden  of  responsibility  on  the 
architect. 

"He  should  not  be  expected  to  furnish  the  idea 
of  the  building.  Its  planning  is  a  separate  problem 
to  be  solved.  It  is  the  business  of  the  owner,  not  of  the 
architect,  to  decide  this."  —  Patton.1 

"Do  not  rely  entirely  on  an  architect,  however  great 
his  artistic  and  technical  qualifications."2 — Duff-Brown. 

"Most  of  the  unsuitable  buildings  are  due  to  unstated 
problems.  Too  much  of  the  lay  trustee,  too  much  of  the 
librarian  himself  sometimes,  who  thought  he  knew,  but 
didn't,  have  been  the  causes. "—B.  R.Green? 

Indeed,  rather  than  trust  to  incompetent  library 
advice  or  an  inexperienced  architect,  I  would  suggest 
going  to  the  Library  Bureau  and  giving  them  charge  of 
building.  They  would  at  least  know  where  to  go  for 
competent  advice,  and  would  not  charge  any  more 
profit  on  what  they  expended  than  experts  deserve. 
So  thinks  B.  R.  Green.4 

"Many  librarians  are  burdened  with  repeated  calls 
for  information  which  more  properly  ought  to  be  obtained 
from  an  independent  expert."  —  H.  J.  Carr.5 

'14L.  J.  159.  2p85.  331  L.  J.  Conf.  53. 

4  25  L.  J.  678.  5  31  L.  J.  Conf.  3. 


140  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

But,  remember,  in  getting  such  advice  from  busy 
librarians,  you  are  getting  only  their  opinions,  founded 
on  experience  and  impressions,  but  not  on  careful  and 
minute  study  of  conditions  involved  in  your  problem, 
to  which  they  cannot  afford  to  give  due  consideration. 

The  fable  of  the  lawyer  is  here  germane,  who,  when 
reproached  by  a  friend,  "That  advice  you  gave  me  was 
worth  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,"  replied,  "Well, 
isn't  that  just  what  you  paid  me  for  it?" 

The  off-hand  answer  of  a  librarian,  even  an  expert, 
may  or  may  not  fit  the  case.  He  is  certainly  not  to  be 
blamed  if  it  does  not  fit,  unless  he  has  been  duly  re- 
tained, and  has  taken  time  for  mature  study  of  all  the 
facts. 


PERSONNEL  141 


The  Local  Librarian  as  Expert 

"No  plan  should  be  drawn  up  or  accepted  without  the 
skilled    guidance   of   a    thoroughly   trained    expert." 
Duff-Brown.1 

Is  your  own  librarian  such  an  expert?  It  is  assumed 
that  you  have  one,  for  some  sort  of  a  librarian  is  a  pre- 
requisite of  even  a  rudimentary  library. 

"First  appoint  your  librarian:  the  rapid  growth  of 
library  interests  has  necessitated  expert  service  in  a 
multitude  of  essential  details."  —  Professor  Todd.2 

"Should  be  a  scholar  and  a  person  of  executive  ability, 
versed  in  all  departments." — Fletcher.3 

The  local  librarian  is  undoubtedly  expert  in  most 
processes  of  librarianship,  but  is  he  or  she  such  an  expert 
—  not  theorist,  but  expert  —  in  building,  that  other 
librarians  look  up  to  him  for  expert  advice  on  that 
subject?  If  not,  does  not  your  problem  deserve  the 
advice  of  some  librarian  in  whom  others  have  confidence. 
Do  you  not  need  the  best  advice  you  can  get? 

Has  your  librarian  the  natural  aptitude  for  planning, 
which  would  have  made  him  a  good  architect? 

Has  he  the  presence  and  force  which  would  lend 
weight  to  his  opinions  against  a  positive  architect? 

"Has  he  a  mind  broad  enough  to  argue  on  equal 
terms  with  an  experienced  architect?" — Mauran.4 

1  p.  45.  3  p.  81. 

2  Fletcher,  Intr.  4  26  L.  J.  Conf.  45. 


142  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Should  you  consider  him  "a  capable  man  of  business," 
as  Mr.  Hallam  suggested  thirty-two  years  ago? 

Is  he  too  young  to  teach,  or  too  old  to  learn? 

"A  very  good  librarian  may  yet  have  no  great  fitness 
for  the  task  of  planning  a  building."  —  Miss  West  (now 
Mrs.  Elmendorff}.1 

And  a  junior  librarian  need  not  feel  hurt  if  he  is  not 
trusted  as  an  expert.  As  the  best  English  authority2 
says:  "Do  not  expect  too  much  from  a  low-priced 
librarian."  To  this  I  should  add,  "Do  not  expect  too 
much  of  any  librarian,  even  a  leader  in  the  profession, 
and  do  not  expect  omniscience  of  leaders." 

And  it  is,  of  course,  superfluous  advice  not  to  take 
your  local  librarian  at  his  own  valuation.  He  is  most 
likely  to  assume  the  function  of  an  expert  in  building 
when  he  is  least  fitted.  The  really  experienced  librarian 
is  apt  to  be  modest  and  to  ask  assistance,  in  the  belief 
that  "two  heads  are  better  than  one."  It  will  not  be 
difficult,  through  a  little  quiet  inquiry,  to  find  where 
you  can  get  the  best  advice,  at  home  or  elsewhere. 
1 19  L.  J.  Conf.  96.  2 19  L.  J.  Conf.  96. 


PERSONNEL  143 


The  Library  Adviser 

"No  library  board  should  attempt  building  without 
taking  counsel  of  someone  who  has  made  the  subject  a 
special  study,  and  has  had  experience  in  library  manage- 
ment." —  Poole.1 

If  you  want  to  get  a  really  good  library,  which  can  be 
worked  easily,  economically  and  effectively  for  years  to 
come,  and  if  you  are  not  quite  satisfied  to  leave  the 
entire  responsibility  to  the  librarian  you  happen  to 
have,  or  the  architect  you  happen  to  get,  there  is  a  chance 
for  you  to  employ,  for  a  far  less  sum  than  a  competition 
would  cost,  such  a  library  expert  as  will  be  able  to  give 
you  aid  just  where  and  when  everyone  may  need  it 
most;  an  adviser  who  can  limit  expense  of  construction, 
augment  capacity,  provide  for  the  best  and  cheapest 
service,  explain  your  needs  to  the  architect,  avoid  fric- 
tion, and  bring  to  the  best  issue  the  countless  puzzling 
queries  which  will  arise  after  the  plans  are  settled,  the 
contracts  let,  and  you  plunge  into  the  pitfalls  of  build- 
ing and  furnishing.  Contract  with  this  adviser  for  the 
whole  problem,  from  start  to  finish,  —  you  will  want 
him  to  appeal  to,  up  to  the  very  end,  and  it  is  poor 
economy  to  try  to  scrimp  on  trifles. 

"Committees  who  work  without  a  trained  adviser  are 
certain  to  spend  many  times  more  ...  in  futile  and 
expensive  experiments.  .  .  .  No  plan  should  be  drawn 
up  or  accepted  without  the  skilled  guidance  of  a  thor- 
oughly trained  librarian."  —  Diiff -Brown? 

1  P.  L.  1876,  484.  2  pp.  45,  85. 


144  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"In  this  era  of  the  establishment  of  so  many  new 
libraries,  and  the  gift  of  so  many  hundreds  of  buildings, 
there  is  decided  need  for  the  effective  service  of  a  con- 
sulting librarian.  Many  serious  mistakes  are  made, 
especially  in  building,  for  want  of  a  competent  profes- 
sional adviser.  —  H.-J.  Carr.1 

As  two  or  more  counsel  are  often  called  in  to  the 
trial  of  a  case  at  law,  the  importance  of  library  planning 
demands  strong  reinforcements  for  the  local  librarian. 
An  architect,  usually  a  mature  man  of  affairs,  experienced 
not  only  in  building,  but  also  with  men,  should  be  met 
with  equally  experienced  library  advice,  lest  the  library 
side  be  overborne.  Experience  will  respect  experience, 
but  hesitate  to  yield  to  half-knowledge. 

It  will  be  possible  to  get  such  aid  in  any  part  of  the 
country.  I  should  say  that  there  are  at  least  fifty  able 
librarians  in  the  United  States  who  have  had  such 
experience  in  building  as  would  qualify  them  as  experts. 
Their  names  could  be  learned  from  any  library  com- 
mission, or  from  any  good  librarian.  "Authoritative 
recognition  of  experience  and  learning  stamps  a  man  as 
trustworthy."  —  (Libr.  Asso.  Record.*)  Few,  perhaps, 
have  worked  through  all  the  problems  of  a  very  large 
library.  Many  have  built  libraries  or  branches  in  the 
other  grades.  In  the  branches,  large  librarians  have 
faced  the  requirements  of  small  libraries  and  would  be 
competent  advisers  for  any  grade.  The  experts  in  any 
particular  class  (except  public  libraries)  are  fewer,  but 
could  be  easily  found.  With  demand,  experts  will 
multiply.  No  new  library  need  lack  a  suitable  adviser, 
if  the  local  librarian  will  ask  for  one,  and  trustees  can 
see  their  way  to  employ  him. 

As  to  the  fee,  the  need  is  so  new,  that  no  professional 
scale  has  been  prescribed.  But  for  service  from  start  to 
finish,  as  I  have  recommended,  one  per  cent  on  the  total 
1 31  L.  J.  Conf.  3. 


PERSONNEL  145 

cost  would  not  seem  too  large  for  the  time  demanded, 
the  services  rendered,  and  the  ends  gained. 

(To  compare  library  advisers'  fees  with  architects: 
The  American  Institute  of  Architects  have  set  as  a 
minimum  fee,  six  per  cent  on  the  total  cost  of  the  build- 
ing. For  preliminary  studies  alone,  one  fifth  of  this  fee 
is  to  be  charged.  This  would  be  over  one  per  cent. 
The  library  adviser  has  very  little  to  do  with  structural 
planning  or  construction.  His  work  corresponds  fairly 
well  with  "preparing  preliminary  plans,"  so  that  one 
per  cent  would  seem  to  be  a  fair  fee  to  offer.  If  he  is 
competent  he  can  save  ten  times  this  by  pointing  out 
better  methods  and  practical  economies.) 

It  will  be  always  an  open  question  whether  the  expert, 
when  chosen,  can  spare  and  be  granted  time  from  his 
duties  in  his  own  library.  His  board,  however,  would 
usually  feel  moved  by  courtesy  to  grant  such  time  as 
he  needed,  beyond  his  free  evenings  and  holidays. 

Briefer  consultations  would  merit  special  fees,  to  be 
agreed  upon.  In  view  of  the  expert  character  of  the  ser- 
vice they  should  be  as  liberal  as  can  be  afforded. 


146  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Selecting  an  Architect 

In  some  states  or  cities,  laws  or  public  conditions  may 
compel  competition,  and  even  where  there  is  no  such 
necessity,  solicitation,  especially  from  relatives  and 
friends,  makes  a  direct  choice  embarrassing.  But  trus- 
tees who  have  the  courage,  as  they  have  the  clear 
right,  to  make  a  choice,  will  certainly  save  money, 
gain  time,  be  sure  of  a  good  working  library  and  of  an 
appropriate  and  pleasing  exterior,  and  stand  a  better 
chance  of  pleasing  everyone,  by  letting  librarian,  archi- 
tect and  building  committee  get  to  work  at  the  plans 
as  soon  as  the  site  has  been  chosen. 

So  when  you  have  got  a  good  librarian  as  a  champion, 
the  next  step  is  to  get  an  architect.  You  need  one  — • 

To  advise  on  site; 

To  help  plan  the  interior; 

To  consider  material  and  construction; 

To  design  the  exterior;. 

To  draw  working  plans; 

To  invite  bids; 

To  prepare  and  let  the  contract; 

To  superintend  construction. 

For  this  you  must  have  on  such  an  important  and  techni- 
cal building  as  a  library,  thorough  professional  educa- 
tion, experience  in  designing  and  building,  knowledge 
of  men;  and  of  course,  intelligence,  tact,  tractability, 
ingenuity,  sagacity,  and  honesty. 

Consider  all  these  qualities  in  your  choice.  If  your 
library  is  beyond  the  small  stage,  and  especially  if  you 
have  secured  an  expert  library  adviser,  you  do  not  so 


PERSONNEL  147 

much  need  an  architect  who  has  built  libraries.  You 
do  not  need  him  for  library  advice  as  much  as  for  the 
duties  scheduled  above.  He  needs  advice  about  the 
special  requirements  of  this  problem.  Possibly  previous 
ill-advised  experience  might  leave  him  stubborn  in  bad 
ways. 

"If  it  be  practicable  to  engage  an  architect  at  the 
outset,  it  is  the  better  course,"  and  remember,  "The 
most  competent  architect  is  not  likely  to  seek  employ- 
ment most  aggressively."  — -Bernard  R.  Green.1 

"It  is  best  to  select  the  architect  before  the  site  is 
selected.  His  advice  will  be  useful.  Commissions  or 
librarians  who  have  built  can  suggest  one."  —  Miss 
Marvin? 

But  the  most  important  question  in  regard  to  an 
architect  is,  does  he  belong  to  the  school  which  exag- 
gerates Venustas  in  all  building,  or  the  better  school 
which  accepts  Utilitas  as  the  key  to  library  problems? 

I  heard  President  Faunce  of  Brown  at  a  building 
committee  meeting  ask  of  the  architect  whom  they 
were  "sizing  up,"  this  question:  "Do  you  believe  in 
planning  the  exterior  or  the  interior  first?"  The  answer 
came,  prompt  and  decided,  "I  want  the  interior  fully 
planned  first;  in  no  other  way  can  I  evolve  appropriate 
architecture."  A  year  later,  at  another  meeting,  Presi- 
dent Faunce  asked  the  architect,  "How  are  you  satis- 
fied with  your  library,  now  that  you  see  it  built?" 
"Very  well,"  was  the  answer.  "I  ought  to  be,  because  I 
have  never  had  a  problem  so  thoroughly  presented." 

A  similar  question  ought  to  be  asked  every  architect 
before  finally  engaging  him.  If  he  wants  to  plan  the 
exterior  first,  he  belongs  to  the  class  of  architects  who 
ought  to  plan  tombs,  not  libraries.  Reject  him,  how- 
ever famous  or  influential  or  persistent  he  or  his  friends 
may  be. 

1  25  L.  J.  682.  2  p.  8. 


148  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Base  of  choice.  It  is  wise,  in  the  first  place,  to 
disregard  pressure.  The  best  architects  will  rarely  try 
to  use  it,  or  allow  it  to  be  used  for  them.  A  dignified 
letter,  with  reference  to  work  they  have  done,  will 
be  all  they  would  allow.  Distrust  activity  in  applica- 
tion. 

"Announcement  brings  letters  of  solicitation  from 
architects  or  their  friends,  and  all  sorts  of  intrigues. 
In  private  work,  it  is  usual  to  appoint  the  architect 
outright."1 

If  you  have  a  satisfactory  expert  as  a  librarian  or 
adviser,  any  architect  who  has  done  good  work  will  do, 
even  if  he  has  had  no  direct  experience  with  libraries. 

"The  number  of  libraries  an  architect  has  built  makes 
little  difference."  —  Marvin.2 

Prominence,  though,  is  not  necessary.  A  good 
authority  already  quoted,  says:  "The  best  of  archi- 
tects, standing  at  the  head  of  their  profession,  have 
failed  in  practical  library  designing,  some  of  them  to  a 
ridiculous  degree."3  We  all  could  point  out  such  men. 

Get  an  energetic,  young  architect  for  a  small  library; 
the  large  firm  must  turn  over  details  to  a  subordinate. 

"A  local  architect,  if  competent,  may  be  better  than 
one  at  a  distance."  — Bostwick.* 

If  you  think  it  best  to  try  to  save  on  a  library  adviser 
and  yet  do  not  fully  trust  the  experience  or  the  per- 
suasiveness of  your  own  librarian,  it  will  probably  be 
best,  especially  in  small  buildings,  to  find  an  architect 
who  has  already  built  satisfactory  libraries,  and  who 
ought  to  know  at  least  how  to  avoid  bad  blunders. 
But  here  again  do  not  take  his  unsupported  testimony  to 
his  experience.  Make  private  and  careful  inquiry  of 
the  librarians  he  has  worked  with,  and  those  librarians 
who  have  had  to  operate  his  buildings. 

1  29  L.  J.  413.  2  p.  8.  3  31  L.  J.  Conf.  53.  4  p.  273. 


PERSONNEL  149 

"Look  around,  inquire  about  different  men;  make 
inquiries  from  those  who  have  worked  with  each.  Select 
him  before  he  has  been  allowed  to  make  a  single  stroke 
of  the  pen  on  the  plans.  You  will  work  with  him  much 
better  from  the  beginning."  —  W.  A.  Otis.1 

Choose  the  man,  with  a  good  reputation  in  his  own 
profession,  who  has  shown  willingness,  reasonableness 
and  ingenuity  in  getting  all  requirements  satisfactorily 
packed  inside  a  dignified  exterior. 

"Take  a  man  willing  to  listen  to  the  librarian's  point 
of  view."  —  W.  R.  Eastman. 

It  is  not  impossible  to  do  this. 

The  American  Institute  of  Architects,  in  their  Circular 
of  Advice,  says  that  "the  profession  calls  for  men  of 
the  highest  integrity,  business  capacity  and  artistic 
ability.  Motives,  conduct  and  ability  must  command 
respect  and  confidence."  This  is  the  type  of  man  who 
will  represent  architecture  in  your  contest.  See  that 
the  library  champion  is  in  the  same  class. 

1 8  P.  L.  205. 


150  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


A  Word  to  the  Architect 

Here  seems  to  be  a  good  place  to  slip  in  an  aside  to 
any  architect  who  chances  on  this  book. 

You  will  see  that  the  keynote  of  the  volume  is  belief 
that  the  library  is  more  akin  to  a  workshop  than  to 
Grant's  Tomb;  perhaps  akin  to  a  literary  workshop, 
like  a  school,  would  be  a  more  correct  definition,  and 
you  know  how  your  profession  grapples  the  school- 
house  problem.  I  have  seen  many  new  schoolhouses 
through  the  country,  and  have  noticed  how  many  of 
them  are  simple  but  effectively  beautiful.  All  libra- 
rians believe  that  a  perfect  library  inside,  can  be  made 
charming  outside,  through  taste  such  as  has  been  shown 
in  these  schoolhouses.  They  ask  architects  to  accept 
their  workshop  theory  rather  than  a  monumental  con- 
ception. 

The  building  committee  are  your  real  clients,  not  the 
librarian.  To  their  decision  you  must  bow,  even  if 
you  have  to  assume  blame  for  a  poor  inside.  But  if 
they  give  you  a  free  hand  and  a  library  adviser,  defer 
to  him.  If  he  is  not  up  to  his  job,  if  he  is  callow  or 
antiquated  or  faddy,  be  patient  with  him.  With  the 
tact  your  profession  knows  how  to  exercise,  interpret 
what  advice  he  tries  to  give,  supplement  his  fail- 
ings with  your  own  study  of  the  subject,  and  plan  the 
best  library  possible  under  these  circumstances.  So 
shall  you  win  a  crown  of  glory  among  librarians. 

But  if  they  give  you  a  mature  and  wise  adviser, 
welcome  him  as  a  friend  and  lend  ear  to  his  experienced 
advice.  You  will  become  a  better  architect  in  one  branch 
of  your  profession,  he  will  broaden  much  in  his,  and 
together  you  will  advance  both  library  science  and 
architecture. 


PERSONNEL  151 

If  you  are  altruistic,  there  can  be  no  better  oppor- 
tunity to  serve  the  public  than  by  curbing  your  artistic 
ambition  and  devoting  all  your  training  and  ability  to 
making  this  building  a  better  library  than  has  yet  been 
devised. 

If  you  thus  plan  truly  from  inside  outward,  I  will 
predict  that  you  will  satisfy  the  public  and  yourself 
far  more  than  if  you  had  thrust  an  unwilling  library  into 
an  inadequate  shell,  or  had  prostituted  your  genius  by 
forcing  a  false  type  of  architecture  on  your  helpless 
clients. 

As  you  must  have  gathered  from  glancing  through 
this  book,  I  am  a  firm  believer  in  the  practical  genius 
and  taste  of  the  best  American  architects.  I  believe 
that  they  can  create  consummate  beauty  out  of  the 
most  unpromising  conditions,  and  I  hope  you  will  thus 
grapple  library  problems. 


152  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Which  Should  Prevail? 

The  Building  Committee  chooses  site,  appoints 
adviser,  selects  architect,  defines  scope  of  the  library, 
is  final  arbiter  of  everything,  with  appeal  to  the  full 
board.  Every  point  which  remains  in  dispute  after 
conference  among  all  the  advisers,  should  be  formulated 
in  definite  questions,  with  clear  reasons  pro  and  con, 
and  submitted  to  the  committee.  Except  in  a  very 
small  library,  where  one  of  the  trustees  is  virtual  director 
in  default  of  a  skilled  librarian,  the  building  committee 
can  serve  best  by  keeping  their  minds  free  for  such 
decision,  if  called  for,  on  such  presentation.  The  advo- 
cates, if  unanimous,  should  receive  unanimous  approval; 
if  divided,  the  committee  must  decide  on  the  weight  of 
the  arguments  presented. 

The  local  librarian  will  have  to  run  the  library 
after  it  is  built,  and  if  he  has  sufficient  sense  and  experi- 
ence to  know  what  he  wants,  he  ought  to  have  his  choice 
in  any  possible  alternatives. 

The  library  adviser,  as  he  has  the  wider  range  of 
experience,  should  carry  great  weight  with  the  local 
librarian,  the  architect,  and  the  committee.  He  can 
often  point  out  more  than  one  satisfactory  way  to 
reach  a  desired  end.  When  he  and  the  librarian  agree 
after  discussion,  as  they  generally  will,  the  architect 
should  have  very  strong  convictions  before  opposing 
them. 


PERSONNEL  153 

The  architect,  on  points  of  construction,  is  supreme. 
Neither  librarian  or  adviser  will  want  to  oppose  him 
here,  although  both  may  be  able  to  advise.  When  the 
plan  is  fixed,  they  must  confide  to  him  its  clothing  in 
architectural  form,  and  its  execution.  During  planning 
it  is  wise  to  consult  him  at  every  step,  for  his  training,  his 
experience,  his  genius,  will  improve  on  many  ideas, 
and  will  show  ways  of  overcoming  many  obstacles. 
Before  he  gets  through,  indeed,  he  will  get  to  be  very 
much  interested,  and  become  something  of  an  expert 
himself  in  library  science. 

But  the  architect  and  librarian  should  not  disagree. 
When  a  point  of  difference  arises,  as  it  may,  talk  it 
over  amicably,  patiently,  thoroughly.  The  aim  of  all 
should  be,  to  build  a  good  working  library.  When  all 
the  reasons  are  presented  (here  is  where  the  librarian 
or  library  adviser  should  be  a  clear  and  persuasive 
advocate),  the  architect  may  come  to  see  the  matter  in 
the  same  light.  If  not,  he  has  got  to  present  more 
powerful  arguments.  Perhaps  he  can  show  the  libra- 
rian how  he  can  gain  his  end  in  a  more  correct  archi- 
tectural way.  If  they  still  disagree,  each  side  will  be 
ready  to  present  its  reasons  to  the  building  committee, 
with  odds  in  favor  of  the  librarian.  Champneys  (an 
architect)1  acknowledges  that  "architects  should  not 
be  considered  competent  arbiters  on  questions  of  library 
administration."  But,  if  it  is  a  structural  question,  or 
a  question  of  taste,  the  architect's  advice  ought  to  be 
preferred. 

*  p.  2. 


154  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Architectural  Competitions 

As  to  libraries,  the  American  authorities  seem  unani- 
mously opposed  to  competitions. 

The  American  Institute  of  Architects  at  their  1911 
convention,  said:  "The  Institute  is  of  the  opinion  that 
competitions  are  in  the  main  of  no  advantage  to  the 
owner.  It  therefore  recommends,  except  in  cases  in 
which  competition  is  unavoidable,  an  architect  be  em- 
ployed upon  the  sole  basis  of  his  fitness  for  the  work.1" 

"Sketches  give  no  evidence  that  their  author  has  the 
matured  artistic  ability  to  fulfill  their  promise,  or  that 
he  has  the  technical  knowledge  necessary  to  control  the 
design  of  the  highly  complex  structure  and  equipment 
of  a  modern  building,  or  that  he  has  executive  ability 
for  large  affairs  or  the  force  to  compel  the  proper  execu- 
tion of  contracts. 

"I  will  add,  that  an  architect's  established  reputation 
and  the  excellence  of  what  he  has  already  built,  are  far 
better  proofs  of  his  ability  to  undertake  a  library,  than 
any  guess  he  can  make  in  a  competition.  Competition 
descends  into  a  guessing  match  as  to  what  will  please 
the  committee.2" 

"The  whole  matter  of  employing  professional  men  in 
this  way  is  absurd.  The  architect  should  be  called  in 
at  the  very  commencement  of  the  work.  His  opinion 
is  as  much  needed  in  the  choice  of  a  site,  and  the  first 
formation  of  the  owner's  ideas,  as  in  the  preparation  of 
working  drawings."  — Sturgis? 

The  practically  unanimous  opinions  of  architects  and 
librarians  who  have  written  or  spoken  on  building,  are 
strongly  against  competition.  In  an  excellent  paper 

1  Architectural  Competitions:  a  circular  of  advice,  1911,  pp.  4,  5. 
2  26  L.  J.  865.  3  Art  Competition,  Vol.  1,  col.  657. 


PERSONNEL  155 

read  at  the  Waukesha  Conference  by  an  architect, 
Mauran,1  he  said:  "Appoint  your  architect.  It  is  a 
popular  notion  among  laymen  that  a  competition  will 
bring  out  ideas,  but  I  know  of  only  one  building  erected 
from  competitive  plans,  without  modification.  Aside 
from  the  needless  expense  and  loss  of  time  entailed,  a 
greater  evil  lies  in  the  well-proven  fact  that  most  archi- 
tects endeavor  to  find  the  board's  predilections."  (In- 
stead of  trying  to  work  out  a  perfect  plan.) 

"Avoid  the  competitive  method." — E.   N.  Lamm.2 

"A  plan  that  has  nothing  in  its  favor,  and  everything 
against  it.3 

"Of  three  methods,  open  competition,  limited  competi- 
tion, and  direct  choice  by  the  board,  the  last  is  far  the 
simplest,  and  much  less  expensive."  —  Mrs.  Elmen- 
dorf* 

"Trustees  are  not  likely  to  get  what  they  want  by 
competition."  - —  W.  R.Eastman? 

"After  the  requirements  have  been  sent  out  to  com- 
petitors, there  can  be  no  more  consultations  between 
them  and  the  librarian  until  the  award  is  made."6  (This 
cuts  out  the  librarian  just  at  the  critical  part  of  planning.) 

"It  is  not  usual  or  advisable  for  buildings  costing  less 
than  $75,000."  —  Marvin.7 

Out  of  twenty-two  libraries  included  by  Miss  Marvin 
only  two  had  competitions.  One  library8  reports: 
"It  was  the  intention  of  the  board  to  choose  by  com- 
petition, but  none  of  many  plans  submitted  was  satis- 
factory. Committee  finally  decided  on  architect  and 
worked  with  him." 

"What  little  good  there  is  in  competitions  is  not  to 
the  advantage  of  the  client,  but  rather  to  the  advantage 
of  the  architect.  The  young  men  have  a  better  chance 

1  p.  26  L.  J.  Conf.  91.  4 19  L.  J.  Conf.  96.  7  p.  7. 

2  6  P.  L.  610.  6  26  L.  J.  Conf.  39.  8p.  59. 

3  7  P.  L.  113.  6Bost.  273. 


156  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

to  win,  before  their  time.  An  architect  directly  selected 
grows  up  with  the  committee,  educates  them,  and  learns 
Jrom  them."  — Edward  B.  Green  > 

"The  committee  had  thought  of  having  an  architec- 
tural competition,  but  in  deference  to  the  advice  of  the 
librarian  and  his  adviser,  they  selected  an  architect 
without  competition,  so  that  every  step  in  planning, 
from  the  outset,  could  be  discussed  from  the  standard 
of  the  architect,  as  well  as  from  that  of  the  librarian. 
To  this  is  to  be  attributed  the  success  of  the  building."  — 
John  Hay  Library  Report? 

If  any  doubt  remains,  after  reading  these  quotations, 
I  will  add  that  all  my  study  and  experience  for  over 
thirty  years,  in  many  hundred  concrete  cases,  have  led 
me  to  the  profound  conviction  that  the  surest  way  to 
spoil  and  stifle  a  library  is  to  invite  an  architectural 
competition.  I  have  so  great  confidence  in  the  talent 
and  genius  of  American  architects,  that  I  believe  any 
one  of  them,  true  to  the  traditions  of  his  profession, 
would  take  the  'conditions  presented  by  librarians,  and 
out  of  them,  work  up  a  library  much  more  practical  and 
far  more  beautiful  than  could  be  ensured  by  any  method 
of  competition. 

If  law,  or  public  demand,  or  fear  of  assuming  responsi- 
bility, prevent  a  board  of  trustees  from  choosing  an 
architect  at  the  outset,  they  should  first  choose  an 
architectural  adviser  (see  next  chapter),  whom  they 
will  have  to  pay  handsomely,  as  well  as  to  pay  premiums 
and  prizes  for  the  competition  (I  see  that  the  Univer- 
sity of  California  laid  aside  $50,000  for  this  purpose) ; 
and  have  him  formulate  the  requirements,  superintend 
the  competition,  and  assist  in  judging  ("assessing" 
it  is  called  in  England)  the  results. 

But  I  wish  that  he  might  be  able  to  shut  out  from  any 
award  those  competitors  whose  plans  would  exceed  the 
1  6  P.  L.  601.  2  34  L.  J.  205. 


PERSONNEL  157 

prescribed  cost.  I  remember  in  my  callow  days  having 
gone  to  a  friend  who  was  a  prominent  architect,  and 
proposing  to  prepare  joint  plans  in  a  great  library  compe- 
tition then  impending.  He  laughed  and  said,  "Yes,  I 
would  like  to  do  it  as  a  matter  of  study,  but  we  will 
not  win  a  prize.  Ours  will  doubtless  be  a  fine  library 
inside,  but  there  will  be  no  librarian  among  the  judges  of 
award.  We  will  have  a  fine  exterior,  but  we  shall  try 
to  keep  within  the  desired  cost.  Some  other  architect 
will  plan  a  larger  and  more  florid  and  more  expensive 
building,  which  will  fascinate  the  public  eye  so  much 
it  will  win  the  prize,  and  the  donor  will  be  asked  for  more 
money,  which  he  will  meekly  contribute."  My  friend 
was  right.  Just  this  result  followed. 

In  the  recent  Springfield  (Mass.)  competition,  each 
architect  was  required  to  submit  with  his  plans  an  estimate 
of  their  cubic  contents,  as  a  basis  for  calculating  how 
much  they  would  cost.  This  was  an  excellent  precau- 
tion against  just  this  danger. 

In  England  a  competition  is  apparently  accepted  as  a 
necessary  evil.1  I  cannot  find  anything  on  the  subject 
in  Burgoyne,  but  the  architect  Champneys2  says  that 
the  architect  is  in  most  cases  selected  by  open  competi- 
tion. He  adds  that  this  "gives  openings  to  those  whose 
abilities  would  otherwise  escape  recognition,"  and  rather 
faintly  concedes  some  advantage  in  selection. 

"It  is  almost  impossible  to  make  instructions  (in  a 
competition)  so  comprehensive  that  an  architect  can  be 
taught  this  very  special  branch  of  his  art." — Champneys.3 

It  should  be  also  recognized  that  competitions  are  very 
costly  and  delay  work  on  a  library  several  months. 
What  is  saved  by  not  having  a  competition  would  pay 
ten  times  the  expense  of  getting  the  very  best  library 
expert. 

1  See  Duff- Brown,  p  85.  2  p.  120.  3  p.  120. 


158  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Judges  of  Competition 

The  advising  architect,  necessary  in  case  of  a  compe- 
tition, and  often  called  in  when  another  architect  has 
been  selected  for  a  very  large  problem,  is  generally 
taken  from  among  the  heads  of  architectural  depart- 
ments of  universities  or  technical  schools,  though  one 
authority  suggests  that  sometimes  a  prominent  architect 
in  actual  practice  might  be  a  more  up-to-date  judge. 
As  has  been  already  said,  he  formulates  and  guides 
the  competition  and  acts  as  chairman  of  the  jury  to 
award  prizes.  Sometimes  more  than  one  architect  is 
asked  to  serve  on  this  jury,  with  unprofessional  citizens 
of  artistic  taste. 

But  very  rarely  is  any  prominent  librarian,  almost 
never  a  considerable  number  of  expert  librarians,  named 
for  the  jury.  Here,  however,  they  ought  to  have 
especial  influence.  They  can  at  least  prevent  bad 
blunders.  As  a  librarian  who  had  recently  served  on 
such  a  jury  confided  to  me,  "All  we  could  do, 
of  course,  was  to  pick  out  the  plans  which  had  the 
fewest  faults  from  the  library  point  of  view."  The 
least  a  board  of  trustees  could  do,  it  would  seem,  after 
handicapping  their  library  by  a  competition,  would  be 
to  let  expert  librarians  have  a  large  share  in  picking 
out  the  plan.  But  perhaps  they  would  want  utility  too 
much,  and  the  real  object  of  a  competition  is  only  outside 
show,  of  which  the  librarian  is  not  a  better  judge  than 
the  average  man. 

If  the  trustees  wish  above  all  to  have  a  good  working 
library,  they  ought  to  ask  to  serve  on  the  competition  j  ury , 
one  prominent  librarian  who  has  built,  and  one  promi- 
nent librarian  of  some  library  of  the  grade  and  classwhich 
is  to  be  built,  and  give  especial  weight  to  their  opinions. 


PERSONNEL  159 


Order  of  Work 

The  building  committee  having  been  chosen,  the  libra- 
rian being  in  charge,  the  adviser  selected,  the  architect 
appointed,  the  cost  provided  for,  and  the  site  chosen, 
it  is  time  for  planning  to  begin. 

The  first  step  should  be  to  inspect  the  site  together, 
and  let  the  architect  (without  letting  his  mind  antici- 
pate details)  say  what  form  of  building  would  best  suit 
site  and  neighborhood,  —  tall  or  low,  broad  or  narrow, 
four  equal-sided,  or  front  and  rear,  occupying  whole 
lot,  or  leaving  skirts  for  air,  light,  and  quiet. 

If  the  committee  should  approve  his  first  impressions, 
the  next  thing  to  do  is  for  librarians  to  find  the  cubic 
contents  that  funds  will  allow  (see  chapter  on  Cost l)-, 
get  from  the  architect  his  idea  of  how  many  stories 
there  would  better  be,  with  the  height  of  each  (including 
basement),  and  possible  pitch  of  roof.  Then,  getting 
tentatively  the  height  of  the  building,  divide  the  cube 
by  the  height,  to  approximate  the  floor  area. 

The  next  important  question  is,  which  shall  be  the 
main  floor?  The  second  floor  is  sometimes  considered; 
if  the  ground  falls  off  rapidly,  what  is  basement  on  one 
front,  and  ground  floor  on  the  other,  may  be  eligible. 
(In  comparing  English  with  American  plans  and  descrip- 
tions, remember  that  their  first  floor  is  our  second.) 
Almost  invariably,  the  first  or  ground  floor  will  assert 
itself  as  the  main  floor,  into  which,  in  all  buildings  but 
the  largest,  it  will  be  desirable  to  dovetail  as  many 
departments  of  active  service  as  possible. 

1  p.  103. 


160  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Having  already  calculated  the  available  area  of  the 
floor,  you  are  prepared  to  make  a  list  of  the  rooms  you 
want  to  get  on  it,  and  to  define  the  size  of  each.  You 
will  already  have  arrived  at  some  prepossessions  about 
this,  but  before  you  finish  planning  you  will  probably 
have  to  modify  them  considerably.  To  be  thorough,  it 
will  be  wise  to  make  your  own  list  of  the  rooms  needed 
for  the  kind  and  extent  of  work  you  want  to  do,  then 
look  over  a  lot  of  plans,  and  perhaps  read  the  printed 
architectural  requirements  issued  for  libraries  of  your 
grade  and  class,  in  order  to  be  sure  you  have  not  over- 
looked any  of  your  own  needs. 

As  you  get  to  know  the  size  of  your  delivery-room 
and  main  reading-rooms,  it  is  time  to  confer  again  with 
the  architect  about  his  general  ideas  as  to  suitable  pro- 
portions for  building,  whether  it  will  have  a  distinct 
front  and  rear  or  will  require  outside  effect  all  around; 
and  as  an  element  in  that  case,  where  you  shall  put  the 
stick,  if  you  have  got  to  have  one. 

Then  comes  the  most  interesting  part  of  planning, 
the  putting  together  of  your  picture  puzzle.  Mr.  Foster 
of  Providence  actually  cut  out  of  paper  and  grouped 
together  his  proposed  rooms.  I  have  found  it  better 
to  get  the  architect,  with  paper,  pencil  and  foot-rule, 
and  draw  to  scale  many  successive  sketches  of  each 
floor,  assembling  and  transferring  rooms,  working  out 
the  passages,  and  calculating  stairs.  As  you  proceed,  the 
architect  will  be  evolving  his  exterior,  and  now»  before  he 
gets  his  mind  fixed,  is  the  time  for  mutual  concessions. 

When  the  rooms  are  fairly  co-ordinated,  their  required 
furnishing  has  to  be  plotted  in,  especially  the  shelving. 
How  many  books  and  readers,  how  related,  do  you  want 
in  each  room?  Are  wall-shelves  better,  or  full  floor 
cases,  shallow  or  deep  alcoves,  low  floor  cases,  partitions, 
railings,  what  not?  Have  you  provided  for  full  super- 
vision and  quick  service  everywhere? 


PERSONNEL  161 

The  stack  requires  separate  study.  Is  it  necessary 
to  have  one?  Where  shall  it  best  be  put, — along  one 
side?  at  the  top?  at  the  bottom?  or  as  a  projection  from 
the  building?  As  to  details,  see  chapter  on  Stack. 

When  the  rooms  have  been  settled  and  their  require- 
ments defined,  the  architect's  special  duties  begin.  He 
has  to  settle  the  necessary  height  of  rooms,  the  pro- 
vision of  sufficient  light  for  each  by  day  and  by  night, 
the  arranging  provisions  for  heat  and  ventilation,  not 
to  interfere  with  books  or  shelving,  or  tables  or  desks. 
All  this  before  the  exteiior  is  considered,  —  all  spent 
in  planning  that  interior  which  the  exterior  must  con- 
form to. 

"Work  on  your  plan,  finish  your  plan.  When  that  is 
perfect,  the  rest  will  come."  •  —  Mauran.1 

Then  you  may  take  a  month  or  two  for  the  preliminary 
conferences  between  the  librarian  and  his  adviser;  a 
month  or  two  for  conferences  between  them  and  the 
architect ;  a  month  or  less  for  inspection  of  other  libra- 
ries. At  some  time  during  this  process  two  trips  may 
be  taken  to  other  libraries,  the  first  rather  early,  as  soon 
as  your  ideas  have  taken  form  enough  for  you  to  know 
what  you  want  to  look  at;  the  other  toward  the  end, 
when  your  need  of  further  information  is  fully  defined. 
Where  to  go,  whom  to  take  on  your  tour  of  inspection, 
will  depend  on  what  funds  you  can  spare.  Details  of 
furniture,  location  of  lights,  and  so  on,  may  be  deferred, 
to  be  taken  up  during  building.  A  month  or  less  is 
needed  to  submit  results  to  the  committee.  After  their 
approval  has  been  obtained,  the  architect  must  prepare 
working  drawings  and  specifications,  invite  bids  for 
work,  wait  two  or  three  weeks  for  them,  and  even  then 
you  are  ready  to  break  ground  on  your  building  in  half 
the  time  and  with  half  the  expense,  for  fees,  traveling, 
and  all,  that  a  competition  would  have  required. 
1  26  L.  J.  Conf.  45. 


162  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Extras.  One  good  result  of  this  thorough  study  of 
every  detail  in  advance  should  be,  that  no  new  wants 
or  serious  omissions  occur  to  you  when  you  come  to 
build. 

But  if  you  do  not  plan  so  thoroughly  as  to  cover  all 
contingencies,  expect  to  find  something  to  be  changed 
or  added  as  you  go  on,  confronting  you  with  those 
"extra  charges"  which  often  appall  builders  of  dwelling 
houses.  Still  if  your  oversights  follow  to  plague  you, 
your  architect  can  here  help  you  with  the  contractor, 
and  can  generally  find  savings  enough  in  "perfectly 
good"  alternatives  in  labor  or  material  to  balance  the 
cost  of  the  extras.  If  they  finally  get  ahead  of  you, 
and  materially  increase  the  cost,  either  architect  or 
librarian  is  at  fault  —  someone  did  not  plan  well  ahead. 

Model.  The  last  step  of  planning  may.  well  be  the 
preparation  by  the  architect  of  a  sketch-model  in  clay 
for  the  building  committee.  This  shows  the  propor- 
tions and  visualizes  all  features  far  more  clearly  then 
floor  plans,  elevations  and  sections  on  paper  can  do. 
If  the  sketch-model  can  show  both  elevation  and  sec- 
tions, it  will  bring  to  the  librarian  his  allocation  of 
rooms  in  final  review,  and  bring  out  to  all  concerned, 
librarian,  architect,  committee  and  public,  just  how  the 
building  will  "work"  and  how  it  will  look. 


This  Book   contains 
considerations  which  affect 

the  whole  building. 

Note  especially 
Light,  Heat,   Ventilation* 


D. 
FEATURES 


Site 

If  the  site  is  given  by  a  donor,  or  chosen  by  some 
other  authority,  and  has  been  accepted  by  the  board, 
the  only  thing  to  do  is  to  make  the  best  of  it.  Adapt 
your  plan  to  it,  improve  whatever  opportunities  it  may 
offer,  and  overcome  its  defects  as  best  you  can. 

If  it  is  open  to  choice,  there  are  often  embarrassing 
conditions.  Owners  of  lots  more  or  less  eligible  (usually 
less)  are  anxious  to  unload  at  good  prices,  and  besiege 
the  board  with  importunities;  or  owners  of  real  estate 
not  immediately  eligible,  exert  all  their  direct  and 
indirect  influence  to  get  the  library  building  in  their 
district  or  on  their  "side."  Even  after  the  choice  has 
been  narrowed  down  to  two  or  three  acceptable  lots, 
and  has  been  freed  from  "pull,"  selection  is  difficult 
because  of  different  pros  and  cons. 

The  main  consideration  for  central  library  or  branch 
is  accessibility  for  the  largest  number  of  users.  Retail 
centers,  not  so  much  geographical  as  practical,  well 
served  by  car  lines,  point  out  the  proper  neighborhood, 
but  main  streets  are  often  too  noisy,  and  good  lots  on 
them  are  too  expensive  and  not  easy  to  get.  If  there 
is  a  quiet  street  next  back  of,  or  close  to  a  main  street, 
especially  with  an  adjoining  public  square  or  small  park, 
it  will  furnish  an  ideal  spot  for  a  library.  Good  vistas 
of  approach  afford  opportunities  for  effect,  and  bring 
the  library  into  view  and  notice. 


166  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Space  all  around  the  building,  and  adjoining  streets 
on  as  many  sides  as  possible,  give  light,  isolation  from 
dangers  of  fire,  more  quiet,  less  dust,  than  positions 
directly  on  a  main  street. 

A  wholesale  business  section,  whose  occupants  only 
come  during  business  hours  of  the  day,  is  not  a  good 
location.  Edges  of  vast  open  spaces  are  not  so  good 
as  actual  centres  of  residence  or  of  small  retail  trade  to 
which  residents  are  attracted. 

If  a  site  among  high  buildings  must  be  chosen  it  would 
seem  wise  to  build  the  library  high,  with  reading  rooms 
up  toward  air  and  light. 

By  all  means  try  to  foresee  and  provide  for  future 
developments  as  they  may  affect  immediate  surround- 
ings and  future  accessibility.  The  neighborhood  of 
schools  is  always  good.  Bear  in  mind  that  certain 
noisy  or  smoky  occupations  are  bad  neighbors,  and 
slums  only  suitable  for  charitable  work. 

A  lot  too  high  above  the  street  grade  may  offer  archi- 
tectural advantages,  but  is  bad  for  public  library  pur- 
poses. Popular  departments  ought  to  be  directly  at 
street  grade,  and  the  necessity  of  climbing  steps  hinders 
rather  than  attracts  readers.  A  lot  sloping  upward 
requires  objectionable  and  expensive  approaches,  one 
sloping  sideways  is  unbalanced,  but  one  sloping  back- 
wards is  often  good,  for  it  allows  a  light  basement  at  the 
rear,  or  a  stack  above  and  below  the  main  floor  at  street 
grade. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  a  wet  soil  is  to  be  avoided 
where  books  are  to  be  stored. 

In  a  large  city  a  favorite  site  for  the  central  library 
is  on  some  municipal  square,  near  other  public  buildings. 
But  in  such  a  prominent  place,  especial  care  is  necessary 
to  escape  a  heavy  architectural  style  which  would 
darken  the  building,  and  divert  cost  from  library  facili- 
ties to  expensive  material. 


FEATURES  167 

In  smaller  cities  and  towns,  better  sites  in  proportion 
may  be  obtained.  Here,  where  land  is  cheap  enough 
to  allow  more  space,  always  provide  for  growth  and 
future  extensions  of  the  building.  It  has  been  advised 
to  get  enough  land  for  future  development,  even  at 
expense  of  the  first  building. 

"The  worst  site  is  a  deep  one,  of  irregular  shape,  with 
only  one  frontage.  If  offered,  don't  buy,  or  even  accept 
it  as  a  gift."  — Burgoyne.1 

But  a  deep  and  irregular  lot,  with  a  possibility  of  light 
on  all  sides,  may  not  be  unfavorable  for  a  building  with 
a  stack  at  the  rear.  Narrowness  in  a  stack,  if  somewhat 
unfavorable  to  short  lines  of  communication  with  the 
desk,  give  possibilities  of  excellent  daylight  everywhere. 
1  6  Libr.  Asso.  Record. 


168  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Provisions  for  Growth  and  Change 

It  cannot  be  too  strongly  urged  that  a  chief  caution 
in  planning  should  be  to  anticipate  and  provide  for  that 
rapid  growth  which  may  strike  any  American  com- 
munity, large  or  small,  urban  or  rural;  and  that  develop- 
ment or  change  of  methods  which  will  come  even  if 
there  is  no  growth  of  population.  When  or  how  or 
just  where  it  will  come,  it  is  always  difficult  to  foresee. 
The  tide,  indeed,  seems  world-wide.  Champneys  warns, 
"Forecast,  if  possible,  and  plan  in  advance.  If  not, 
it  will  be  hard  to  preserve  in  future  a  workable  home."  x 
Van  Name  said  at  St.  Louis  in  1889,  "The  present  rate 
of  library  growth  requires  far  larger  provision  for  the 
future,  in  space  and  in  economizing  space." 

"Every  library  in  America  must  continue  to  grow."  — 
Eastman. 

"One  cannot  observe  the  rapid  growth  of  libraries 
during  the  last  half  century  without  being  led  to  ask  in 
wonder  what  is  to  be  the  result  in  the  future.  There  is 
a  law  affecting  the  growth  of  libraries  not  unlike  that 
of  geometric  progression.  By  the  principle  of  noblesse 
oblige,  a  library  which  has  attained  a  certain  size  is 
called  upon  to  grow  much  faster  than  when  it  was 
small.  It  is  difficult  to  foretell.  For  years  to  come 
libraries  will  grow  rapidly.  Ingenuity  will  bring  into 
use  new  methods  and  new  apparatus."  — Fletcher.2 

"Libraries  designed  to  serve  the  needs  of  decades  to 
come  prove  too  small  before  they  are  fairly  occupied."  — 
Dana? 

Jp.  135.  2pp.  115  and  120.         3Lib.  Prob.  4. 


FEATURES  169 

"The  model  building  of  today  will  be  quite  out  of 
date  tomorrow."  —  Marvin. i 

Perhaps  rate  of  growth  cannot  be  calculated,  but  it 
can  be  shrewdly  guessed.  It  is  hard  to  be  too  sanguine. 
Growth  in  American  libraries  has  oftener  been  under- 
estimated than  the  reverse.  In  an  established  library 
you  can  multiply  recent  annual  growth  by  twenty-five, 
for  the  probable  life  of  the  building,  and  subtract  pos- 
sible withdrawals.  But  moving  into  a  new  building, 
and  growth  of  the  population  served,  will  tend  to  make 
needs  for  space  increase  in  geometrical  ratio  rather  than 
merely  arithmetical,  and  there  are  always  gifts  to  be 
anticipated.  So  let  the  sanguine  members  of  your 
board  reckon  growth. 

Exterior.  Provision  can  be  made  by  buying  a  lot 
larger  than  you  will  need  at  first.  A  plan  can  be  drawn 
with  future  wings  suggested,  or  more  stories,  or  an  ell. 
This  will  require  stronger  walls,  and  study  of  features 
which  could  be  matched  in  making  changes. 

In  large  libraries,  use  of  sub-cellars,  especially  for 
stacks,  can  be  looked  to,  and  sunken  stacks,  or  at  least 
subterranean  caves  for  fuel,  can  be  arranged  under  that 
part  of  the  lot  outside  the  building,  or  even  in  some 
cases  under  the  street  or  an  adjoining  park.  If  the 
experiments  now  making  in  various  places  are  success- 
ful, this  growth  downward  may  be  almost  as  available 
as  growth  upward.  But  see  "Stacks  Underground," 
and  "Stack  Towers,"  in  later  chapters. 

Interior.  There  are  several  ways  for  providing  for 
changes  inside.  If  you  have  enough  money,  build 
largely,  and  space  out.  Provide  more  space  for  books 
and  readers  than  you  can  use  at  once.  Make  your 
floor-cases  movable,  and  set  them  wide  apart,  to 
be  closed  up  later  as  required.  Set  tables  and  chairs 

i  p.  5. 


170  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

generously  apart,  and  crowd  them  together  when  other- 
wise you  would  have  to  turn  away  readers.  Provide 
attic  and  cellar  so  built  and  prepared  for  subsequent 
finish  that  they  can  be  used  to  some  purpose  when 
more  rooms  are  wanted. 

That  reminds  me  to  say  that  a  wise  provision  is  to 
have  as  few  rigid  partitions  anywhere,  as  possible.  If 
you  must  have  any,  make  them  so  light,  even  if  sound- 
proof, that  they  can  all  be  swept  away  when  it  becomes 
desirable  to  change. 

"Plan  a  library  so  that  it  may  be  susceptible  of  inner 
development,"  says  Dr.  Garnett.1 

It  is  always  well  to  plan  your  shelving  so  generously  as 
to  leave  room  everywhere  for  many  years'  growth,  and  so 
avoid  necessity  for  early  rearrangement. 

In  small  libraries,  if  the  book-rooms  are  built  high 
enough,  provision  can  be  made  for  a  second  tier  of 
wooden  or  metal  shelves  above  that  first  installed. 
Better  always  leave  them  thus  high  in  the  projection, 
side,  or  corner  devoted  to  floor  bookcases. 

With  very  large  libraries  interior  provisions,  except 
in  leaving  floors  or  rooms  unoccupied  at  first,  and  avoid- 
ing rigid  partitions,  will  be  difficult. 

Limitations.  In  some  libraries  it  is  possible  to 
set  a  limit  for  desirable  growth.  For  instance,  the 
faculty  of  the  Episcopal  Theological  School  in  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  could  say  that  they  never  should  want 
more  than  seventy-five  scholars  or  50,000  volumes.2 
In  branch  libraries  it  is  usual  to  decide  in  advance  how 
many  books  are  needed,  and  to  keep  this  number  the 
same,  by  withdrawing  as  many  volumes  as  are  added 
from  time  to  time.  Suburban  libraries  can  reduce  the 
normal  limit  of  growth  by  arranging  with  their  neigh- 
V- 279.  237L.  J.  135. 


FEATURES  171 

boring  urban  libraries  for  a  co-operative  and  interloan 
system,  or  may  unite  with  them  in  some  such  system  of 
segregating  useless  books  in  a  common  catacomb  as 
has  been  suggested  by  President  Eliot.  (See  Fletcher.1} 
File  Your  Plans.  Too  often,  plans  for  growth  care- 
fully made  in  planning,  have  not  been  preserved.  When 
need  comes  for  them,  perhaps  often  when  librarian  and 
trustees  have  been  changed,  these  provisions  are  not 
remembered,  or  if  faintly  remembered  have  been  laid 
away  where  they  cannot  be  found.  The  wise  way  is 
to  file  your  plans  away  in  the  library  after  using  them, 
and  include  in  the  portfolio  your  provisions  for  change, 
both  card  catalogued  so  fully  that  they  cannot  be 
missed.  Even  if  conditions  have  changed  before  altera- 
tions are  demanded,  the  original  forecast  will  be  found 
suggestive  in  making  new  plans. 

1 116  et  seq. 


172  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Approaches:  Entrances 

Where  the  lot  is  large  enough,  there  will  be  room  for 
simple  landscape  gardening  which  can  add  greatly  to 
the  attractions  and  architectural  effect  of  the  building, 
without  adding  largely  to  the  cost.  This  is,  however, 
in  the  architect's  province.  As  is  elsewhere  suggested, 
the  park  board  or  institution  may  assume  or  share  the 
cost  of  such  embellishment. 

Outside  Steps.  In  small  buildings,  the  nearer  the 
main  floor  gets  to  the  street  level  the  better.  If  the 
site  is  so  high  that  there  must  be  more  steps  to  sur- 
mount the  basement,  a  few  of  these  set  inside  the  portico 
or  vestibule  will  prevent  the  building  from  being  all 
stairs  in  front.  In  larger  buildings,  flights  of  steps, 
however  sightly  they  are,  are  a  hindrance  to  entrance 
or  exit,  just  so  many  steps  to  be  surmounted  in  every 
visit  to  the  library;  as  bad  as  an  unnecessarily  large 
vestibule,  or  long  corridor  —  effort  and  cost  wasted. 
From  a  library  point  of  view  they  are  all  wrong. 

Porticoes.  These  are  unnecessary  for  library  use> 
and  where  economy  is  an  object,  are  objectionable- 
They  spoil  front  light  in  the  centre  of  the  building, 
where  it  is  most  needed.  They  give  a  heavy  tone  to  the 
library,  and  a  suggestion  of  outgrown  methods.  If 
they  must  be,  utilitas  requires  that  some  use  should  be 
found  for  them,  and  for  the  kind  of  vestibule  they  require. 
In  very  large  buildings,  where  architectural  effect  is 
wanted,  they  offer  an  opportunity  to  concentrate  it  there, 
and  leave  the  rest  of  the  outside  walls  to  be  treated  for 
inside  light  and  convenience.  Behind  the  columns, 
unheeding  their  shadow,  are  places  for  a  vestibule  and 
rooms  above  which  do  not  require  much  daylight. 


FEATURES  173 

Vestibule.  In  libraries  of  average  size  only  a  small 
vestibule  is  needed,  and  a  lofty  vestibule  is  a  waste  of 
overhead  space.  All  that  it  is  needed  for  is  to  check  drafts 
and  exclude  dust,  and  to  give  chance  for  the  stir  of 
removing  wraps.  A  vestibule  is  often  the  best  place 
for  stairs  up  or  down.  It  should  be  under  supervision 
from  the  desk,  through  glass.  In  a  large  library,  behind 
a  portico,  it  can  be  used  as  a  reception,  exhibition, 
conversation,  and  waiting-room,  being  in  a  position 
which  need  not  separate  departments,  or  usurp  space 
more  needed  for  other  rooms. 

"Compact  central  vestibules,  from  which  all  depart- 
ments open  in  plain  sight  from  the  entrance,  are  better 
than  long  corridors."  —  Champneys.1 

Front  Door.  This  is  generally  the  main,  often  the 
only  public  entrance  and  exit,  and  should  be  always 
under  supervision;  in  small  libraries,  from  the  desk; 
in  large  libraries,  from  special  attendants,  who  may 
also  serve  as  information  clerks,  umbrella  checkers, 
and  special  policemen. 

A  Revolving  Door,  though  expensive,  serves  some  of 
the  purposes  of  a  vestibule,  or  a  storm  door. 

Other  Outside  Doors.  A  separate  staff  entrance 
is  often  advisable,  a  janitor's  door  (usually  to  the  base- 
ment is  necessary;  separate  doors  for  the  newspaper 
room,  the  children's  room,  and  some  groups  of  allied 
departments  are  needed  in  large  libraries.  In  libraries 
of  moderate  size,  where  there  are  no  such  doors,  the 
municipal  fire  regulations  may  require  special  emergency 
exits. 

Swing  all  Doors  Well  and  Wide.  Outside  doors, 
and  doors  from  rooms  for  many  occupants,  should 
naturally  swing  out,  for  escape  in  case  of  fire  or  panic. 
The  swinging  of  every  door  is  a  matter  for  special  study, 

1127. 


174  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

for  not  only  passage,  but  wall  space  and  convenience 
depend  on  it.  And  have  every  door  wide  enough  for 
the  maximum  audience  to  come  and  go  through.  As 
I  was  shot  into  a  crowded  room  in  the  New  York  Public 
Library  recently  by  pressure  from  a  throng  so  insistent 
that  it  checked  those  who  wanted  to  get  out,  a  librarian 
whispered  in  my  ear,  "Every  doorway  should  be  wide 
enough  to  avoid  such  a  mob  as  this." 

No  Doors  Between  Rooms.  In  fact,  next  to  having 
a  floor  without  partitions,  it  is  sometimes  well  to  have 
only  wide  openings  through  partitions,  without  doors. 
Doors  are  only  necessary  when  drafts  are  to  be  checked, 
noise  is  to  be  excluded,  or  passage  to  be  discouraged. 

Height  of  Doors.  Unnecessarily  high  doors  are  a 
waste;  doors  low  enough  to  make  a  tall  man  dodge  are 
a  nuisance ;  6  feet  6  inches  is  about  right. 

Storm  Doors.  The  librarian  of  a  very  large  library 
reminds  me  of  the  necessity  of  storm  doors  for  winter 
in  our  climate,  and  says  that  architects  seem  unwilling 
to  plan  them.  Certainly  every  architect  of  every 
library,  large  or  small,  should  include  such  a  structure 
in  his  plans,  to  harmonize  in  shape  and  color  with  the 
effect  of  the  building.  In  small  libraries,  it  will  be  the 
only  portico,  or  vestibule.  In  large  buildings,  under  a 
portico,  it  bars  snow  and  weather  and  tempests  from 
direct  invasion  of  the  vestibule.  Good  taste  can  make 
such  an  inexpensive  structure  sightly,  but  unless  the 
architect  foresees  the  need  and  supplies  the  taste,  some 
carpenter  hastily  summoned  when  the  need  arrives,  may 
spoil  a  fine  entrance  with  an  ugly  excrescence. 


FEATURES  175 


Halls  and  Passages 

Too  much  space  wasted  in  these  and  in  entrances,  is 
a  bad  fault  frequently  found  in  libraries,  but  easily 
avoided  in  making  plans. 

"Should  be  sufficient,  but  not  wasteful.  Redundant 
corridors  show  bad  planning."  — Champneys.1 

The  English  Building  Act  prescribes  a  width  of  3  feet  6 
inches  to  4  feet  6  inches,  for  from  200  to  400  persons 
likely  to  pass.  Duff-Brown2  thinks  they  should  not 
be  less  than  four  feet  wide  for  "public  traffic."  And 
Champneys  doubts  they  need  exceed  nine  feet  in  width. 

Are  these  passages  absolutely  necessary  for  library 
purposes,  in  length,  width,  and  height,  is  the  test  to  put. 
Can  they  not  be  omitted  entirely? 

In  small  libraries,  it  is  a  merit  to  have  all  rooms  open 
out  of  the  noisy  space  which  must  be  left  in  front  of 
the  delivery  desk.  In  larger  libraries,  passage  through 
reading-rooms  is  never  allowable,  and  separate  entries 
are  necessary.  In  very  large  libraries  such  passages  can 
hardly  be  avoided.  In  wings  or  ells,  to  utilize  light  for 
rooms  on  both  sides  it  may  be  necessary  to  have  long 
corridors  lighted  on  top  floors  above,  on  other  floors 
from  transoms. 

The  height  of  passages  needs  to  be  watched  as  keenly 
as  their  other  dimensions,  for  more  than  6  feet  6  inches 
or  7  feet  is  a  waste  of  space  which  might  in  some  way 
be  utilized  .in  rooms  or  on  other  floors.  Nine  or  ten  feet, 
however,  may  be  required  for  light,  ventilation,  or 
height  of  stories. 

1  p.  104.  2  p.  87. 


176  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Stairs 

Ornamental  flights  of  stairs  are  usually  wasteful  and 
disjunctive,  especially  in  the  centre  of  the  building. 
"They  are  never  used  by  anyone;  all  go  up  in  elevators." 
—  Dewey.1 

See  an  excellent  article  by  W.  K.  Stetson 2  criticising 
the  Newark  Public  Library. 

A  good  rule  is  to  have  just  so  many  flights  of  stairs 
as  may  be  required  by  the  probable  use  of  rooms  on  each 
story,  and  to  have  them  no  wider  or  more  massive  than 
passage  demands.  Stack  stairways  may  be  only  two 
feet  wide;  other  service  stairways  not  over  three  feet, 
which  allows  passing  of  single  users.  Indeed,  flights 
six  feet  or  wider  should  have  a  central  rail,  to  keep 
climbers  apart  from  descenders.  When  floors  are  much 
used,  two  separate  narrower  flights,  for  which  room  can 
generally  be  found  symmetrically,  will  be  better  than 
one  broader  flight. 

No  stairs  should  be  slippery  or  have  projecting 
obstacles  to  trip  climbers,  or  be  too  steep  or  high-set  for 
old  persons. 

Treads.  Easy  treads  are  essential  to  serve  all 
comers  well.  53/2-inch  rise  and  13-inch  tread,  will  be 
generous;  6^  x  11,  tolerable.  Brooklyn  directions 
specified  4-inch  risers. 

If  any  material  is  used  which  is,  or  will  wear,  slippery, 
be  sure  to  have  some  rubber  or  other  stair-pad,  well 
secured,  so  that  even  the  most  unsteady  climber  cannot 
trip  or  slip. 

^O  L.  J.  Conf.  240.  236  L.  J.  467. 


FEATURES  177 

Material.  Stone  wears  down  unevenly,  and  all 
kinds  of  stone  split  and  fall  in  case  of  fire.  Marble  is 
slippery.  Iron  wears  slippery.  Wood  splinters.  Con- 
crete or  stone,  the  treads  covered  with  hardwood  or 
rubber,  is  probably  best,  all  things  considered.  But  in 
small  libraries,  hardwood  serves. 

Handrails.  Dr.  Billings  sends  warning  that  large, 
ornamental  stairs,  outside  or  inside,  should  have  some 
form  of  practical  handrails,  and  after  trying  to  climb  in 
winter  the  outside  steps  of  the  New  York  Public  Library, 
and  Columbia  University,  I  heartily  concur  with  him. 

Indeed,  bearing  in  mind  the  feeble  men  and  women 
who  have  a  right  to  use  a  library,  I  plead  for  a  "practi- 
cal" handrail  for  all  stairs.  Many  flights  have  no  rail 
at  all;  the  more  ornamental  they  assume  to  be,  the 
more  dangerous  they  are.  Many  flights  have  only 
marble  "rails,"  too  massive  for  hand  use.  All  "archi- 
tectural" staircases  are  in  fact  deterrents  of  use. 

Landings.  More  than  a  dozen  steps  are  tiresome  to 
most  people,  and  in  long  flights  landings  ought  to  be 
provided.  If  a  seat  can  be  provided  on  each,  it  will  be 
welcome  to  old  persons.  A  window  seat,  in  the  windows 
used  to  light  flights  of  stairs,  can  be  made  a  decorative 
and  also  useful  feature. 

Circular  Stairs.  About  the  most  inconvenient,  use- 
less, dangerous,  and  unnecessary  feature  which  has  come 
down  to  us  from  antiquity  is  the  corkscrew  stair,  which 
still  persists  —  I  saw  one  in  a  plan  only  yesterday.  It 
is  inconvenient  because  only  half  of  each  tread  is  avail- 
able. I  measured  one  recently  in  a  library:  the  wide 
outside  of  each  tread  was  twelve  inches  deep,  and  it 
narrowed  down  to  two  inches  at  the  central  post.  The 
nine-inch  width  (about  the  least  allowable  for  a  stair 
tread)  was  fifteen  inches  from  the  post,  and  only  eight 
from  the  outside.  The  usable  part  of  the  tread  was 


178  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

eight  inches  wide,  the  wasted  segment  was  two-thirds  of 
the  width,  and  served  only  as  a  trap  to  stumblers. 

This  dangerous  and  inconvenient  futility  was  un- 
necessary, because  a  straight  stair,  with  short  flights 
doubling  on  narrow  landings,  could  be  planned  to  oc- 
cupy no  more  floor  area,  with  much  greater  practicable 
width,  and  be  infinitely  more  convenient  and  less  dizzy. 

Try  to  carry  an  armful  of  books  up  or  down  such 
a  flight,  and  remember  the  lesson.  A  ladder  would  oc- 
cupy less  space,  and  be  just  about  as  useful  as  a 
winding-stair.  Why  such  a  traditional  inconvenience 
persists  in  modern  libraries  is  an  enigma. 


FEATURES  179 


Stories  and  Rooms  Generally 

Height  of  stories  is  a  main  factor  in  planning.  The 
fewer  and  lower  they  can  be,  bearing  in  mind  full  light 
and  ventilation,  the  less  cost  will  go  into  unnecessary 
bulk  in  building. 

Tell  the  architect  what  rooms  and  floors  you  want, 
with  definite  area  and  height  for  him  to  try  to  suit 
together.  Never  let  him  dictate  what  dimensions  you 
must  pack  the  rooms  into. 

In  small  libraries  and  in  most  branches,  one  story 
with  practicable  basement,  is  the  standard.  The  height 
of  this  story  is  suggested  by  Miss  Marvin  as  12  feet,  or 
better,  13  feet;  or  16  feet  if  a  second  tier  of  floor  cases 
must  be  provided.1  She  very  sanely  says  that  higher 
rooms  are  not  necessary  from  any  point  of  view,  and  this 
remark  might  be  extended  to  most  rooms  in  most 
libraries. 

Where  there  is  a  stack,  the  desire  to  have  as  many 
floors  of  the  building  as  possible,  coterminous  with  stack 
floors,  determines  the  height  of  stories  at  14  or  15  feet, 
as  the  7  or  7^-foot  stack  is  chosen,  and  this  will 
make  rooms  whose  heights,  plus  thickness  of  floors 
(unless  some  use  can  be  found  for  mezzanine  rooms), 
are  exact  multiples  of  stack  heights. 

In  a  larger  library  (but  still  small),  a  second  story 
over  part  or  the  whole  of  the  main  floor,  can  be  lighted 
from  above  and  be  used  for  many  purposes. 

1  p.  10. 


180  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Basement.  The  height  of  a  basement  will  depend 
on  the  uses  contemplated  for  it.  An  auditorium  requires 
more  height  than  small  rooms  for  storage,  vault,  or  janitor 
service.  Miss  Marvin  advises  a  height  of  10  feet,  so 
that  it  can  be  used  in  any  way  wanted  in  future.1 

"A  failure  to  use  it  is  a  defect." 

It  must  be  absolutely  dry,  and  fairly  warm. 

"A  well-lighted  basement  gives  more  dignity  of 
elevation  to  a  small  building."  — Bluemner.2 

On  a  sloping  site,  a  basement  becomes  ground  floor, 
and  a  cellar  becomes  basement,  for  part  of  the  building, 
with  dark  cellars  and  sub-cellars  for  the  other  part, 
which  will  come  handy  for  heating  plant,  fuel,  storage, 
and  other  functions.  As  the  stack  can  run  up  and  down 
from  the  main  floor,  such  a  site  can  be  made  useful  in 
many  ways. 

Upper  stories  become  more  and  more  difficult  to  use 
unless  there  are  elevators,  which  are  costly  to  install 
and  costly  to  run.  In  old  houses,  coming  as  a  gift,  the 
upper  stories  can  be  used  for  storage,  study  rooms,  class 
rooms,  trustees,  and  other  departments  infrequently 
needed. 

The  top  floor,  where  there  are  elevators,  may  be  one 
of  the  most  useful  stories,  the  most  useful  next  to  the 
ground  floor,  because  the  possibility  of  good  top  light 
allows  every  square  foot  to  be  used.  If  there  are  only 
three  stories,  the  top  may  be  used  for  many  purposes 
without  elevators,  if  the  stairs  are  easy  and  ample. 
The  principal  uses  are,  for  serious  reading  rooms,  ex- 
hibitions, small  study  or  class  rooms,  historical  rooms, 
special  libraries  or  departments. 

Use  of  Various  Stories.     The  assignment  of  rooms 
will  be  governed  by  the  exigencies  and  policy  of  the 
1  p.  10.  2  3  P.  L.  336. 


FEATURES  181 

library.  A  careful  study  of  the  use  to  be  best  made  of 
the  floors  will  be  of  vital  importance  toward  economical 
and  effective  administration.  In  case  of  doubt  as  to 
the  size  or  location  of  rooms,  inspection  of  existing 
libraries  of  similar  grade  and  class,  and  study  of  plans, 
will  be  helpful  to  stimulate  ideas. 

"It  is  a  mistake  to  have  the  library  on  the  second 
floor,  at  least  the  reading  room  and  circulating  depart- 
ment, which  should  have  easy  access  and  publicity." 
Fletcher.1 

Correlation  of  Parts.  Guides  to  arrangement  will 
be  consideration  of  processes,  relation  of  users,  and  con- 
venience in  all  steps  of  use  or  service.  A  recent  English 
writer  suggests  arranging,  in  sequence  from  the  entrance, 
newspaper  reading,  magazine  and  light  reading,  delivery, 
and  quiet  reference  or  reading  rooms. 

One  great  desideratum  is  continuous  flooring  on  each 
story,  even  into  the  stacks,  so  that  trucks  can  be  rolled 
without  jolt,  and  readers  can  pass  without  the  discom- 
fort of  two  or  three  steps  up  or  down,  here  and  there, 
as  in  many  existing  libraries.  This  irregularity  of  floor 
level  is  one  of  the  worst  faults  possible. 

Mezzanine  Floors.  Supposed  architectural  exi- 
gencies so  often  demand  stories  of  greater  height  than 
library  uses  require,  that  it  is  well  to  have  in  mind  what 
mezzanine  floors  can  be  interposed  here  and  there,  and 
what  rooms  can  be  assigned  to  them.  Many  staff  rooms 
(for  instance,  stenographers'  and  others  not  crowded), 
and  many  readers  (e.  g.,  private  students,  small  clubs, 
teachers,  classes,  debating  teams)  do  not  require  large 
or  lofty  rooms,  and  would  be  much  better  if  they  had 
only  half  the  height  of  the  large  rooms.  Only  light  and 
ventilation  may  require  much  height  of  walls,  and  even 
these  only  when  many  persons  must  use  the  same  room. 
1  P.  L.  1876,  406. 


182  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Not  Thoroughfares.  By  no  means  make  any  read- 
ing room  a  passageway  to  any  other  room,  or  allow 
stairs  to  run  up  into  it  or  up  from  it.  Some  of  the 
worst  faults  to  be  found  in  existing  libraries  lie  just 
here.  Whatever  increases  movement  in  such  rooms 
and  disturbs  students  is  a  library  crime. 

Attics  and  Cellars.  In  old  houses,  the  occupation 
of  these  unfinished  spaces  requires  ingenious  planning. 
But  attics  furnish  dry  storage,  cellars  dark  storage, 
which  can  be  utilized  without  expensive  alterations. 

In  new  buildings  a  cellar  is  essential,  as  a  foundation 
at  least,  but  may  be  glorified  into  a  practicable  base- 
ment without  much  cost;  or  may  be  minimized  to  an 
air  space  in  small  buildings;  or  shared  by  air  space  at 
one  end  and  heating  at  the  other.  An  attic  is  not  so 
necessary,  except  a  shallow  air  space.  But  even  shallow 
attics  can  be  utilized  for  storage-room  by  a  trap  door, 
and  it  is  marvellous  how  much  need  of  such  room  will 
be  developed  after  occupancy. 

If  you  have  them  at  all,  plan  attics  and  cellars  for 
some  future  use,  even  if  they  are  left  unfinished  for  the 
present.  I  remember  an  early  experience  of  inspecting 
a  library  building  with  a  view  to  alteration,  and  finding 
the  attic  so  weakly  trussed,  and  the  cellar  so  solidly 
partitioned,  that  neither  could  be  altered  for  improve- 
ment. Two-thirds  of  the  building  were  thus  wasted, 
which  could  have  been  used  if  it  had  been  wisely  planned. 

"A  building  should  stand  high  enough  on  its  founda- 
tions to  give  the  basement  both  light  and  dryness 
throughout."  —  Winsor.1 

1  P.  L.  1876,  p.  475. 


FEATURES  183 


Walls,  Ceilings,  Partitions 

The  exterior  walls  come  mainly  into  the  province  of 
the  architect,  subject  to  chastening  by  librarian  and 
building  committee  as  to  material,  decoration,  massive- 
ness,  and  cost.  "The  ideal  building  has  no  breaks  or 
jogs  and  few  corners."  The  interior  walls  and  ceiling 
have  been  considered  under  the  subjects  of  Height  of 
Stories  and  of  Coloring.  Under  the  latter  head  they 
materially  influence  illumination  also.  In  the  decorative 
scheme  they  should  harmonize  with  the  woodwork  and 
furniture. 

The  walls  and  ceilings  not  only  play  a  star  part  in  the 
cheerfulness  and  beauty  of  the  building,  but  they  materi- 
ally affect  the  eyes  and  health  of  the  reader.  On  their 
coloring  and  the  character  of  the  reflection  they  cast, 
largely  depend  the  effectiveness  of  all  diffused  light,  and 
the  best  part  of  reading  light.  They  form  a  subject  of 
especially  important  study. 

Panelled  ceilings  which  are  often  planned  for  deco- 
rative purposes,  especially  in  large  and  lofty  rooms, 
interfere  injuriously  with  reflection  of  light,  by  inter- 
cepting it  with  numerous  shadows. 

All  authorities  agree  that  there  be  as  few  partitions 
as  possible  in  small  libraries,  where  departments  can 
be  indicated,  or  readers  separated,  by  railings,  cords 
low  bookcases,  or  screens  of  glass  or  light  material, 
which  do  not  interfere  with  general  supervision. 


184  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

Many  rooms  can  be  arranged  with  sliding  or  folding 
partitions,  to  be  used  for  larger  or  smaller  audiences, 
as  required. 

In  large  libraries,  necessary  partitions  can  be  of  such 
light  construction  that  they  can  be  changed  or  removed 
at  will.  Some  partitions  are  essential;  for  instance, 
those  of  reading  rooms  to  exclude  noise,  and  of  music 
rooms  to  shut  it  in. 

All  partitions  should  match  the  other  coloring  and 
style  of  rooms  and  furniture,  to  produce  a  quiet  and 
pleasing  effect  of  harmony. 

"Buildings  costing  less  than  $10,000  cannot  afford 
space  for  partitions."  —Eastman.1 

l.  84. 


FEATURES  185 


Floors  and  Floor  Coverings 

Floors  should  be  substantial,  durable,  cleanly,  dry, 
warm,  noiseless,  slow-burning,  and  not  slippery. 

Any  uncovered  floor  will  be  noisy. 

Stone,  tile,  mosaic,  and  concrete  are  noisy.  Glass  and 
marble  are  slippery. 

Hardwood,  or  softwood  covered  with  linoleum  or 
corticene,  will  answer  in  most  rooms  and  passages. 

Variations  of  cork,  or  cork  on  a  solid  foundation,  are 
now  common,  and  have  been  found  satisfactory.  Inven- 
tion is  at  work  on  this  style  of  floor,  and  may  evolve 
something  near  perfection,  if  fairly  cheap.  Linoleum 
wears  badly,  except  in  the  best  grades,  and  seems  to 
be  going  out  of  favor. 

The  new  Springfield  (Mass.)  library  has  sawdust 
concrete  as  a  one-inch  base  for  a  cork  carpet.  The 
St.  Louis  building  just  dedicated  has  compressed  cork 
tile  cemented  directly  to  the  concrete. 

Carpets  and  matting,  general  or  in  strips,  are  very 
objectionable  in  catching  dust  or  mud,  and  difficult  to 
clean  off. 

Rubber  mats  or  rubber  tiling  has  been  favored  for 
floor-covering  and  for  stairs. 

The  Librarian1  reports  from  England,  as  follows:  — 

"Stone,  mosaics,  and  the  like,  are  seldom  used  except 
in  lobbies. 

"Plain  boards  do  not  wear  well. 

"Wood  blocks  (oak  or  maple),  rift-sawn  and  dressed 
(not  washed),  resist  wear,  though  noisy. 
*Vol.  1,  p.  93. 


186  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

"Good  linoleum,  cemented  on  boards,  blocks,  or 
concrete,  resists  wear. 

"Rubber  flooring  seems  superb,  but  has  not  been  tested 
here." 

[Nothing  is  said  about  corticene  or  cork,  so  much 
used  in  America.] 

Several  "floor  dressings"  are  advertised,  said  to  be  of 
two  general  classes  —  dust-fixers,  or  beeswax  polish. 

Champneys1  warns  that  angles  of  floor  and  ceiling 
with  walls,  and  all  interior  corners  of  walls,  should 
be  rounded  or  "coved,"  for  easy  cleansing. 

Miss  Marvin 2  thinks  that  for  a  small  library,  plain 
cork  carpet,  of  the  best  and  thickest  quality,  without 
pattern,  is  best,  being  durable,  noiseless  and  easily 
cleaned. 

Bostwick,3  discussing  various  forms,  and  criticising 
each,  says  that  a  sheathing  of  soft  wood,  covered  with 
linoleum,  leaves  little  to  be  desired,  though  it  some- 
times rots,  and  that  in  various  patent  floorings  no 
trustworthy  standard  has  been  found. 

My  own  advice  would  be  to  watch  developments,  and 
take  the  matter  up  anew  with  your  architect,  in  view  of 
his  experience  and  inquiries,  added  to  yours. 
1  p.  7.  2  pp.  13,  14.  3  p.  288. 


FEATURES  187 


Roofs,  Domes 

Roofs  also  the  architect  ought  to  know  all  about, 
but  don't  let  him  have  them  project  so  as  to  darken  the 
valuable  top  light  of  any  windows.  This  is  a  fault  com- 
mon in  the  bungalow  type  of  small  libraries.  Whether 
they  are  flat  or  have  more  or  less  slope  is  matter  of  cost 
and  effect.  But  if  there  is  to  be  slope,  except  when  there 
is  to  be  a  timbered  roof  in  some  room  underneath,  have 
it  ceiled  and  used  as  an  attic,  even  if  low.  You  will  not 
usually  want  an  attic,  but  if  the  architect  wishes  the 
space,  ask  him  to  make  it  available  for  any  future  needs. 

Of  course,  a  tight  roof  is  even  more  desirable  in  a 
library  than  in  most  other  buildings.  Leaks  are  as  bad 
as  fire  for  books,  and  are  uncomfortable  for  staff  and 
readers.  But  that  is  a  matter  for  the  building  expert. 
So  with  fireproofing,  for  the  roof  is  the  exposed  part 
and  hardest  to  protect  from  sparks  from  neighboring 
conflagrations.  In  wooden  buildings  especially,  have 
some  fireproof  or  very  slow-burning  material  for  your 
roof:  asbestos  shingles,  flat  or  corrugated  tiles;  or 
better,  some  kind  of  the  slates  of  various  tints  which  will 
match  your  walls;  any  of  these  will  hold  and  extinguish 
sparks. 

A  roof  so  built  and  lined  with  air  compartments  that 
it  will  be  warm  in  winter  and  cool  in  summer  is  a  crown- 
ing merit. 


188  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Domes.  Many  architects  are  fond  of  the  effect  of  a 
dome,  but  its  top  and  bulb  are  of  no  use  in  a  library, 
and  the  obsession  of  space  below  balks  compact  plans 
in  the  centre  of  the  building.  Domes  cover  many  an 
impressive,  and  more  or  less  drafty,  reading  room,  but 
they  waste  bulk  which  costs,  and  dislocate  departments. 

If  you  see  any  views  of  libraries  where  domes  are 
conspicuous  you  may  set  them  down  as  failures,  however 
beautiful ;  —  bad  types  to  imitate ;  their  architects  to 
be  avoided.  The  only  possible  place  suitable  for  a  dome, 
is  in  a  very  large  library,  to  cover  a  central  reading 
room,  and  even  there  the  space  it  must  occupy  ought 
to  be  very  carefully  studied  at  the  outset,  to  calculate 
whether  so  much  open  height  is  the  best  way  to  utilize 
the  cubic  contents.  It  ought  never  be  planned  primarily 
as  an  architectural  feature,  and  thus  imposed  on  library 
methods,  unless  they  are  promoted  by  it,  rather  than 
hindered. 


FEATURES  189 


Alcoves,  Galleries 

From  England,  where  alcoves  in  old  libraries  are  so 
fascinating  to  travelers,  I  find  this  passage  in  The  Li- 
brary Association  Record:1  "The  alcove  system  should 
probably  not  be  mentioned  in  an  essay  on  modern 
methods  of  book  storage." 

Oldest  of  library  methods,  the  alcove  even  now  lingers 
where  it  ought  not.  As  I  have  said,2  it  is  an  agreeable 
feature  where  solitude  and  ease  are  allowable,  but  it  is 
as  much  out  of  place  in  a  public  library  as  lounges  would 
be,  wasting  space,  blocking  supervision,  delaying  ser- 
vice, deluding  scholars  with  the  illusion  of  isolation,  and 
making  their  nooks  the  convenient  harbors  for  whisperers. 
If  you  must  have  them,  have  them  plain,  and  do  not  let 
them  creep  into  your  reading  room  in  the  guise  of 
architectural  piers  and  cornices. 

"Alcoves  oblige  us  to  go  twice  as  far  as  there  is  any 
need  of.  A  "large  part  of  the  books  might  as  well  have 
been  stored  in  a  compact  stack."  —  C.  A.  Cutter? 

"Privacy  is  marred  when  several  readers  occupy  the 
same  table."  —  Fletcher* 

"The  alcove  plan,  obsolete  and  incompatible  with 
further  progress."  -  —  Bluemner.5 

"Wasteful  of  space,  impossible  of  supervision."  — 
Champneys.6 

'Vol.  12,  p.  446.  316  L.  J.  Conf.  104.  B3  P.  L.  40. 

lp.  48.  4p.  74.  "96. 


190  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"The  greater  distance  attendants  must  go,  materially 
affects  the  service. 

"There  is  much  discomfort  to  readers  who  go  into  an 
alcove  to  be  out  of  the  way,  and  who  are  distracted  by 
the  passing  to  and  fro. 

"Supervision  from  the  counter  is  impossible."  —Bur- 
goyne.1 

And  the  new-old  monstrosity  of  the  early  American 
type  elsewhere  described  2 —  may  it  never  be  revived, 
—  the  unholy  marriage  of  alcoves  and  galleries. 

Alcoves  might  be  used  not  only  in  private  or  club 
libraries,  but  in  such  rooms  as  Mr.  Foster's  "Standard 
Library,"  or  the  "Library  of  the  Masters, "Mt.Holyoke 
College,  which  may  be  regarded  as  cosy  club-rooms,  in 
which  easy  chairs  and  footrests  are  not  considered  out 
of  place. 

Galleries  survive  in  the  old  world,  and  in  old  libraries 
with  us,  but  they  have  no  friends  in  new  libraries. 
They  are  better  than  high  wall  shelving  served  by 
ladders.  If  less  than  2  feet  4  inches  wide,  and  if  ap- 
proached by  spiral  stairs,  they  are  nuisances  to  be 

abolished. 

!p.  12.  2p.  13. 


FEATURES  191 


Light 

This  is  the  most  important  topic  in  library  planning. 
Other  problems  considered  elsewhere,  the  storage, 
handling  and  service  of  books,  affect  economy  and 
efficiency  of  administration,  the  future  annual  cost  of 
good  service,  more  than  lighting;  but  this  touches  the 
comfort  and  health  of  both  readers  and  staff.  Whether 
the  eyes  of  the  public  are  weakened,  and  the  service 
they  ought  to  expect  from  attendants  is  impaired,  depends 
largely  on  lighting. 

On  the  shape,  size  and  position  of  the  windows,  there- 
fore; on  the  selection,  arrangement  and  installation  of 
the  system  of  artificial  lighting,  depends  the  solution  of 
the  question  how  can  readers  work?  how  can  their  ser- 
vants the  staff  work  for  them?  how  can  both  retain  their 
eyesight  and  health,  best  and  longest? 

This  subject  calls  for  serious  planning  by  architect 
and  librarian,  most  serious  consideration  by  the  building 
committee. 

Here  is  one  of  the  points  where  the  best  is  none  too 
good,  and  where  expense  should  be  considered  last.  Econ- 
omy in  first  cost,  economy  in  running  expenses,  must 
be  always  borne  in  mind,  but  here  surely  is  another  point 
where  purely  architectural  features,  —  domes,  columns, 
approaches,  marbles,  ornament  of  all  kinds,  —  should 
be  sacrificed,  rather  than  convenience,  comfort  or  health. 

I  treat  this  matter  at  length  under  the  subsequent 
heads  of  Light  Natural,  Windows,  and  Light  Artifiical. 


192  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

Health  of  readers  and  books.  I  have  hunted  in 
vain  for  some  exhaustive  discussion  of  the  influence  of 
electricity  on  health.  I  have  found  observations  on  the 
effect  of  sunlight  on  the  color  of  bindings;  for  instance, 
Prof.  Proctor's  Report  of  a  Committee  on  Protecting 
Leather  from  Light,  in  The  Library  Association  Record,1 
where  he  says,  "When  building  a  library  a  good  trans- 
parent coloured  glass  may  be  employed  which  will  not 
only  give  an  almost  equal  light  when  compared  with 
white  glass,  but  will  at  the  same  time  protect  books  from 
the  evils  of  direct  light." 

I  have  also  found  many  cautions  against  heat  on  the 
head  of  readers  from  unshaded  gas  or  electric  lights  too 
near,  but  nothing  on  the  general  subject  of  electricity 
as  affecting  either  men  or  books.  Experiments  in  this 
direction  are  yet  to  be  made. 

See  an  article  in  Library  Notes2  on  "The  Eyes  of  the 
Public." 

1  Vol.  8,  p.  642.  =  Vol.  1,  p.  288. 


FEATURES  193 


Light,  Natural 

There  has  been  so  much  difficulty  in  getting  good 
light  into  all  parts  of  a  library,  and  so  much  joy  over 
the  substitution  of  electricity  for  gas,  that  there  is  some 
danger  of  daylight  being  ignored.  Dewey x  pictured 
"a  solid  core  of  books  with  modern  lighting,"  and 
B.  R.  Green  2  argued  elaborately  in  favor  of  disregarding 
natural  light  altogether  under  certain  conditions.  It  is 
quite  time  someone  championed  God's  free  gift  to  man. 
For  daylight,  notwithstanding  its  occasional  glare  and 
its  temporary  defects,  is  still  the  cheapest,  the  readiest, 
the  cheeriest,  and  the  healthiest  light  for  men  and  for 
books. 

Indeed,  the  modern  advocates  for  substitutes  seem 
so  far  to  have  spared  readers,  and  only  included  stacks 
in  their  enthusiasm.  But  I  have  not  yet  entirely 
surrendered  hope  of  stacks,  and  I  have  many  sym- 
pathizers. The  late  James  L.  Whitney  was  an  excellent 
and  experienced  librarian.  Not  long  before  his  death, 
he  and  I  were  stumbling  through  the  dark  corners  of 
the  stack  in  the  library  of  which  he  was  so  long  a  faithful 
servant.  As  we  fell  together,  he  turned  and  said  im- 
pressively, "If  you  ever  plan  a  library,  insist  on  having 
ample  natural  light  wherever  you  can  get  it." 

I  quote  Champneys3  in  support:  "While  the  direct 
rays  of  the  sun  are  often  sufficiently  powerful  to  become 
an  inconvenience  to  readers  and  a  source  of  injury  to 
[the  bindings  of]  books,  yet  such  are  their  purifying 
properties,  that  their  total  exclusion  is  not  recommended." 
!COL.  J.  249.  231  L.  J.  Conf.  54.  sp.  10. 


194  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  old  monk-architects  knew  their  business.  In  the 
earliest  specimens  of  monastic  libraries,  note  a  full- 
width  window  opposite  each  alcove.  In  the  library  of 
the  Sorbonne,  Paris,  in  1638,  there  was  "plenty  of  day- 
light on  the  desks  from  east  and  west,  to  fill  the  whole 
length  of  the  room."  { 

Light  should  never  be  so  admitted  as  to  dazzle  the 
eyes  of  readers,  or  blind  them  while  searching  on  the 
shelves  for  books,  or  reading  at  their  desks.  The  ideal 
direction  to  strike  them  is  from  behind,  and  from  the 
left,  with  no  shadows  falling  on  book  or  paper. 

Prismatic  glass  is  recommended,  to  aid  in  throwing 
light  into  dark  places,  like  courtyards  or  cellars.  Trans- 
lucent glass  (as  used  in  the  Library  of  Congress)  "suffi- 
ciently softens  the  rays  of  the  sun  in  the  southerly 
windows." 

"There  should  be  abundance  of  daylight  with  least 
direct  sun."  —  Fletcher? 

"Good,  natural  light  is  the  first  essential."  —  Marvin.3 

Aspect.  In  planning,  the  aspect  of  each  room  is 
very  important.  North,  as  in  studios,  is  the  best  aspect 
when  direct  light  is  always  needed,  though  it  will  be 
cold  if  without  double  windows  in  winter.  East  only 
has  direct  light  when  it  is  apt  to  be  most  grateful,  in  the 
early  morning  hours.  South  is  apt  to  be  hot  and  glary, 
though  the  sun  is  too  high  at  noon  to  strike  far  into  the 
rooms;  but  west  lets  in  slant  or  level  rays  of  hot  and 
blinding  light  which  needs  screening.  Which  front  to 
give  a  room  is  matter  varying  with  climates  and  locali- 
ties, and  needs  special  study  always. 

Modifying  Glare;  Curtains.  To  certain  aspects, 
south  and  especially  west,  direct  sunlight  brings  un- 
pleasant glare,  and  in  summer  intense  heat,  so  that  it 
is  really  necessary  to  use  shades  or  screens.  Bostwick 4 
1  Clark,  165.  2p.  43.  3p.  15.  4p.  286. 


FEATURES  195 

recommends  that  shades  for  large  windows  be  double, 
either  up  or  sideways.  In  the  Library  of  Congress  all 
the  shades  in  each  stack  can  be  drawn  or  withdrawn 
simultaneously.  This  is  often  the  arrangement  for  high 
windows  in  large  reading-rooms. 

It  may  be  pointed  out  that  good  taste  in  choosing 
colors  for  shades  will  do  much  toward  allowable  and 
very  effective  decoration  in  a  library,  without  added 
expense. 


196  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Windows 

These  are  features  on  which  architect  and  librarian 
may  lock  horns.  The  needs  of  the  interior  may  call 
for  different  windows  in  every  room.  The  apparent 
needs  of  symmetry  may  demand  uniform  height  of  all 
windows  in  each  story  outside.  But  proper  planning 
requires  settlement  of  the  ideal  windows  by  inside  con- 
siderations. When  the  architect  comes  to  try  the  effect 
of  these  in  his  fagade  they  may  not  accord  with  any  of 
his  first  sketches.  Then  comes  the  tug  of  war.  Can 
the  windows  be  worked  in  as  they  are?  Can  they  be 
changed,  and  yet  serve  the  same  purpose?  Can  the 
height  of  the  stories  be  changed,  the  rooms  be  swapped 
around?  Can  a  becoming  irregularity  of  exterior  be 
devised  ? 

It  will  usually  be  found  possible  for  an  ingenious 
architect  to  overcome  apparently  insurmountable  diffi- 
culties, with  surprisingly  satisfactory  results,  even 
to  the  architect.  In  a  recent  problem,  I  wanted 
certain  windows  of  certain  dimensions.  The  architect 
did  not  see  how  they  could  be  made  to  comport  with 
the  prescribed  style  of  the  building.  But  he  would  not 
despair,  and  after  several  attempts  he  devised  windows 
which  fully  satisfied  both  of  us,  and  pleased  our  building 
committee.  "Where  there's  a  will,  there's  a  way," 
even  architecturally.  Remember  this  when  you  come 
to  windows.  Anyway,  don't  allow  them  to  be  planned 
for  purely  ornamental  purposes.  Insist  that  they 
properly  light  the  rooms  first,  and  afterwards  be  made 
comely,  if  possible. 


FEATURES  197 

"A  library  should  have  windows  in  abundance." 
— Bostwick.1  Another  authority  says  you  cannot  have 
too  many  windows,  or  too  large,  even  if  you  have  to 
screen  them.  "Ample,  even  excessive  light  should  be 
admitted  to  all  reading  rooms."  — B.  R.  Green.2 

For  small  libraries,  or  those  of  medium  size,  the 
"box-frame  sliding  sash"  windows  are  best,  and  can  be 
got  machine-made.  They  can  be  made  tight,  are 
easily  managed,  and  furnish  the  simplest  method  of 
ventilation,  as  is  elsewhere  described. 

In  larger  libraries  there  are  various  kinds  used.  Air- 
tight, non-opening  windows  have  been  advocated  for 
stacks,  to  exclude  dust  and  drafts  (the  windows  in  the 
Library  of  Congress  stack  are  of  this  kind) ,  but  they  are 
not  much  favored.  French  windows,  pivoted  at  the  side, 
or  long  windows  pivoted  in  the  middle  at  top  and  bottom, 
will  admit  air  freely  in  summer.  There  are  various 
patented  devices  to  hold  a  pivoted  window  open  just 
so  far  as  may  be  desired. 

Really  the  whole  matter  is  for  the  architect,  with  the 
librarian's  advice  as  to  what  is  most  wanted  in  each 
room.  Light  always,  clear  light,  which  usually  pre- 
cludes stained  glass,  but  may  demand  translucent  or 
prismatic  glass.  Ventilation,  perhaps,  which  requires 
some  way  of  opening  the  whole  or  part  of  the  window. 
Easy  cleansing  always,  which  also  requires  ready  open- 
ing, or  a  balcony  outside.  Due  protection  against  fire, 
which  requires  wire-glass. 

All  windows  in  reading  rooms  should  run  up  clear  to 
the  ceiling,  for  ventilation,  and  because  top  light  pene- 
trates further.  "One  square  foot  of  glass  near  the 
ceiling  admits  as  much  light  as  ten  near  the  floor. 
Pointed  Gothic  windows  are  bad."-  —  Burgoyne?  For 
the  latter  reason,  all  windows  in  reading  rooms  should 

>p.  285.  225L.  J.  683.  3p.  26. 


198  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

be  square-topped  (which  shuts  out  the  Gothic  style), 
and  not  overhung  by  eyebrows,  nor  should  they  have 
thick  sashes,  bars,  leads  or  mullions,  which  hamper  light. 
Leaded  glass,  especially  in  diamond  or  lozenge  forms,  is 
hard  to  clean.  Clear,  large  panes  of  good  plate  glass 
are  best.  Study  use  rather  than  ornament  everywhere, 
but  most  in  windows. 

These  suggestions  as  to  school  rooms  might  apply  to 
libraries :  — 

"The  top  of  the  windows  is  placed  as  near  the  ceiling 
as  the  finial  will  admit.  Transom  bars  should  not  be 
permitted."  —  Sturgis.1 

"Large  sheets  of  glass  rather  than  the  art  filagree  work 
so  often  used,  which  obstructs  fifty  per  cent  of  the 
light."  —Burgoyne? 

With  these  essentials  in  mind  look  at  the  illustrations 
under  this  head,  or  passim,  in  Sturgis's  Dictionary  of 
Architecture,  and  see  how  few  of  the  picturesque  windows 
there  could  be  used  for  any  reading  or  administration 
room  of  a  modern  library.  Either  pointed  or  overhang- 
ing tops,  or  heavy  frames,  or  transoms,  or  mullions,  or 
traceries,  or  leaded  panes,  must  be  barred  out  by  the 
architect  who  designs  libraries. 

High  or  Low.  If  the  windows  must  run  to  the 
ceiling,  they  have  to  be  high.  How  long  they  are  to  be, 
how  low  they  extend,  depends  on  the  height  of  the  story 
and  whether  or  not  wall  shelving  is  wanted  below  them. 
If  the  library  has  more  than- one  story  and  has  a  stack 
to  limit  the  height  of  stories  to  fourteen  or  fifteen  feet, 
shelves  all  round  the  wall  will  be  wanted  in  many  of  the 
rooms.  The  shelves  at  extreme  height  should  only  be 
eight  feet  to  top  of  cornice,  or  could  be  any  less  height, 
down  to  about  four  feet,  that  the  exigencies  require. 
The  window  can  take  up  as  much  of  the  remaining  height 

1  Article,  "Schools."  28  Libr.  Asso.  Record,  182. 


FEATURES  199 

of  wall  as  needs  of  lighting  demand.  This  leaves  some 
alternatives  of  length  and  width  for  the  architect  in 
arranging  his  exterior. 

High  windows  above  wall  shelving  are  much  used, 
as  exterior  views  will  show.  One  consideration  has 
occurred  to  me,  which  I  have  not  seen  mentioned.  In 
libraries  where  there  is  no  window  low  enough  to  jump 
out  of,  and  only  one  entrance  on  a  floor,  where  is  the 
extra  fire  escape  usually  demanded  by  municipal  build- 
ing regulations? 

High  or  Low  for  View.  Some  objection  has  been 
made  recently  to  high  window  sills  in  a  library  because 
only  low  sills  allow  a  cheerful  outlook.  I  just  put  the 
alternative  to  a  working  girl,  as  a  typical  user,  and 
she  said,  "How  could  I  read  if  I  was  watching  a  squirrel?" 
This  seems  to  put  the  matter  in  a  nut-shell.  Library 
windows  are  for  light,  not  for  sight.  In  private  libraries 
or  in  clubs,  the  cosy  comfort  idea  can  come  uppermost, 
but  in  the  more  practical  rooms,  especially  in  reading 
rooms  chiefly  for  reference  use  and  study,  I  should  get 
diffused  cheer,  so  to  speak,  from  diffused  light,  and  bar. 
looking  out  of  the  window.  As  to  the  working  rooms, 
much  the  same  view  might  be  taken,  but  if  a  librarian 
or  a  cataloguer  pleaded  for  low  sills  and  a  cheery  out- 
look, I  might  consider  the  "personal  equation,"  and 
concede  it. 

"In  German  schools,  window-stools  are  set  high,  and 
the  lower  sash  glazed  with  ribbed  glass,  so  that  the 
pupils  cannot  look  out."  —  Sturgis. 

Skylights.  From  the  plans  I  judge  that  flat  sky- 
lights ate  more  often  used  in  English  libraries  than  with 
us.  Much  objection  is  made  here  about  keeping  them 
tight  and  clean,  and  certainly  leaks  and  grime  are  fear- 
some in  a  library.  But  I  have  heard  architects  aver  that 


200  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

skylights  can  be  made  leak-proof,  and  if  they  can  there 
are  certainly  many  perplexities  of  light  they  would  relieve. 

"Top  lights  always  should  be  double  to  stop  direct 
sunlight  and  prevent  draughts.  There  is  great  trouble 
in  making  them  rain-proof.  .  .  .  Large  squares  of  plate 
glass  are  better  than  small  panes  or  leaded  lights.  .  .  . 
Double  windows  are  necessary  where  traffic  is  heavy."  — 
Burgoyne.1  [This  is  a  provision  to  deaden  noise.  In 
America,  a  double  window  is  only  a  protection  against 
winter  cold.] 

Clerestories.  There  is  often  this  alternative,  to 
"cabin"  the  skylight,  or  set  regular  clerestory  windows 
in  the  walls.  This  can  be  made  a  beautiful  feature,  and 
if  it  does  not  add  too  much  to  the  expense,  and  if  enough 
light  can  be  got  by  them,  in  the  proper  spots,  with  pro- 
visions for  easy  cleaning,  they  are  certainly  free  from 
most  of  the  objections  to  skylights. 

[See  effective  clerestory  windows  in  the  "Concourse" 
of  the  Salem  Public  Library.]2 

^.26.  2L.  J.  June,  1912. 


FEATURES  201 


Light,  Artificial 

But  granting  the  superiority  of  daylight,  it  is  avail- 
able at  the  best  for  no  more  than  part  of  the  library 
day.  The  thronged  hours  generally  follow  a  winter 
twilight,  and  sometimes  range  far  into  the  evening.  What 
light  is  most  cheery,  the  clearest,  the  healthiest,  and  the 
cheapest,  for  these  long  hours  of  use? 

Oil.  Very  small  libraries  have  little  choice.  They 
have  to  cling  to  the  old-fashioned  oil  lamp.  But  they 
are  not  so  unfortunate  after  all,  for  though  filling  and 
trimming  and  cleaning  make  trouble,  no  softer  or  better 
reading  light  has  been  invented;  and  swinging  argands 
can  give  excellent  diffused  light,  as  many  a  country  store 
will  show.  With  a  few  such  lamps  and  an  open  wood- 
fire,  no  such  cosiness  and  cheer  can  be  matched  by  a 
city  library. 

You  can  manage  good  home-made  shades  to  moderate 
the  glare,  from  home-made  material  —  even  from  brown 
paper.  It  will  be  well  to  cling  to  oil  until  you  have 
no  time  to  attend  to  the  lamps. 

Gas.  The  next  stage  is  acetylene  gas,  which  can 
be  had  without  a  public  plant,  and  furnishes  a  steady 
and  brilliant  light.  After  it,  comes  usually  the  regular 
gas  stage  of  community  development.  If  the  gas  plant 
is  good,  the  light  may  be  good  too,  though  its  fumes 
are  often  hard  on  lungs  and  books.  If  the  plant  is  poor, 
better  go  back  to  oil. 


202  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Electricity.  But  the  use  of  electricity  has  become 
so  general  all  over  the  country,  even  in  small  towns, 
the  light  is  so  good,  so  safe,  and  considering  the  advan- 
tages, so  cheap,  that  you  are  likely  to  arrive  soon  at  the 
electrical  stage,  and  remain  in  it  permanently  through 
the  various  steps  of  your  growth.  It  is  unnecessary  in 
these  days,  to  warn  against  defective  installation;  any 
architect  should  be  able  to  arrange  that;  but  watch  it 
carefully,  in  planning  and  as  the  contractors  put  their 
wires  in. 

With  either  form  of  gas,  or  with  electricity,  the  choos- 
ing and  placing  of  lights  will  be  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant of  your  joint  problems. 

As  far  back  as  1886,  J.  E.  L.  Pickering  contributed 
a  paper  on  the  electric  light,  to  The  Library  Chronicle l 
which  is  so  sound  that  it  is  worth  reading  now  —  a  gen- 
eration later. 

Location.  In  placing  your  lamps  of  all  kinds,  do 
not  think  first  of  symmetry  or  appearance,  but  try  to 
find  where  the  fewest  bulbs,  of  the  kind  you  determine 
to  use,  will  bring  the  best  light  most  directly  on  the  places 
where  it  is  wanted,  with  the  smallest  expense. 

The  kinds  of  illumination  required  are:  — 

Diffused.  This  is  the  general  light  in  corridors  and 
rooms,  sufficient  for  moving  about,  usually  got  from 
chandeliers,  sometimes  from  wall  brackets. 

Shelves  and  service  desks.  In  usual  systems,  these 
are  lighted,  the  desks  by  different  kinds  of  fixed  or  hang- 
ing desk-lights,  the  shelves  by  a  goose-neck  protruding 
at  the  top,  from  the  cornice  between  every  two  ranges. 

Readers'.     Usually  lighted  by  rows  of  lights,  shades 
down  the  center  of  the  tables;   or    movable  individual 
standards    near    the    readers'  chairs,    or    by    hanging 
lamps,  six  or  eight  feet  from  the  floor. 
1  Vol.  3,  p.  173. 


FEATURES  203 

In  stacks.  By  bulbs  at  the  ceiling  of  each  desk, 
either  hanging  down,  or  doubled  up. 

Colors.  As  elsewhere  noted,  light  colors  in  walls, 
ceilings,  shelving  and  furniture,  aid  any  system  of  light- 
ing by  reflection. 

Switches.  The  location  of  switches  is  most  im- 
portant both  for  effectiveness  and  for  economy. 

Systems.  I  do  not  propose  to  discuss  here  all  the 
systems  of  lighting  or  makes  of  lamps  and  fixtures, 
but  I  wish  to  record  a  very  deliberate  opinion  as  to 
the  proper  trend  of  experiments  in  library  lighting. 

Seeing  a  book  advertised  on  "Practical  Illumination," 
by  Cravath  and  Lansingh,  I  bought  and  have  carefully 
looked  it  over.  The  seven  pages  it  gives  to  libraries 
have  not  helped  me  at  all,  but  I  have  found  on  other 
pages  matter  of  interest.  This,  for  instance:  — 

"The  object  of  artificial  illumination  is  to  enable 
us  to  see  things." 

"It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  the  eye  is  more  comfort- 
able when  receiving  a  moderate  amount  of  light  from 
all  directions,  as  it  does  in  daylight,  than  when  getting 
all  its  light  from  a  bright  page  in  a  dark  room." 

"The  ceilings  and  walls,  if  light  in  color,  have  consid- 
erable value  as  reflectors,  especially  in  small  rooms." 

[On  page  7  is  a  table  of  percentages  of  light  reflected 
from  different  wall  papers.] 

The  scientific  discussions  of  forms  of  bulbs,  the  material 
of  reflectors  and  the  forms  of  shades,  are  very  interesting. 
So  is  a  series  of  "demonstration  room  tests,"  especially 
No.  II,1  showing  a  fine  diffused  light,  thrown  from  a 
concealed  bulb  by  a  reflector  at  the  ceiling. 
1  After  p.  138. 


204  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"Even  more  important  than  the  economic  side  of  the 
subject  is  the  disastrous  effect  on  the  eyes  caused  by 
numerous  common  artificial  lighting  arrangements." 

"The  ruin  of  eye-sight  now  common  with  artificial 
light  is  due  to  the  fact  that  so  few  people  understand 
the  importance  of  the  proper  placing,  reflecting,  and 
shading  of  artificial  lights." 

"In  order  not  to  injure  or  fatigue  the  eye,  the  follow- 
ing points  should  be  avoided :  — 

Flickering  light, 

Glaring  lights, 

Glare  reflected  from  paper, 

Light  from  unusual  angles, 

Too  little  light, 

Too  much  light, 

Streaks  of  light, 

Sharp  contrasts  of  dark  and  light." 

"In  the  lighting  of  desks  there  are  five  principal  re- 
quirements :  — 

The  lamp  should  be  out  of  the  line  of  vision. 

Have  no  regular  reflection  or  glare  from  paper. 

Have  the  light  free  from  streaks. 

Avoid  too  great  intensity. 

The  light  should  be  steady." 

[I  add :   Don't  get  in  your  own  shadow.] 

"The  three  reflectors  best  suited  to  lighting  the  shelves 
of  the  library  are  the  opal  dome,  the  fluted  opal  cone, 
and  the  prismatic  reflectors." 

Indirect  lighting.  This  is  defined  thus:  "The 
lamps  themselves  are  not  visible.  They  are  placed  in 
cup  or  vase  or  trough  mirror-reflectors,  from  which  the 
light  is  thrown  up  towards  the  ceiling,  to  be  thence  re- 
flected down  into  the  room." 


FEATURES  205 

Systems  of  this  kind  as  used  in  libraries  for  all  service 
except  in  stacks  —  for  diffused  light,  shelves,  service 
desks,  and  readers'  tables  —  seem  to  me  to  be  most  like 
natural  daylight,  and  therefore  best  unless  too  costly. 

The  Report  of  Oculists  and  Electricians  on  the  Bos- 
ton Schools,1  reported  against  indirect  lighting,  believ- 
ing that  "the  cost  of  current  to  secure  a  proper  illu- 
mination would  be  prohibitive."  They  added,  however, 
that  "No  actual  experiements  were  made  with  indirect 
lighting,  as  objections  to  its  use  seemed  so  obvious  as 
to  render  them  unnecessary." 

This  was  in  1907  (for  schools)  before  the  experiments 
in  libraries  described  below  had  been  made. 

So  far  they  seem  successful.  The  Crerar  Library  has 
tried  one  for  two  years.  Mr.  Andrews  says  in  his  last 
report  (1912):  "The  indirect  system  of  lighting  has 
been  extended  over  the  official  catalogue  and  the  offices. 
Longer  experience  confirms  the  opinion  that  under  suit- 
able conditions  the  system  is  the  best  for  the  prolonged 
use  of  artificial  light,  although  this  is  not  always  recog- 
nized by  persons  accustomed  to  more  concentrated  illu- 
mination. For  this  reason  it  has  been  supplemented 
to  some  extent  in  this  library  by  table-lights  in  the 
reading-rooms."  He  writes  me  further,  "It  is  undoubtedly 
more  expensive,  but  it  is  in  my  opinion  also  much  better." 

A  similar  system  was  installed  in  the  John  Hay  Me- 
morial Library  at  Brown  University  a  year  ago.  Mr. 
Koopman  writes  me  (Apr.  18,  1912):  — 

"Given  rooms  reasonably  adapted  for  it  I  should  call 
it  the  ideal  library  system. 

"In  our  high  reading-room  [twenty-eight  feet  high], 
the  conditions  are  especially  unfavorable  owing  to  the 
deep  panelling  of  the  ceiling.  But  if  I  were  to  choose 
afresh  I  might  still  prefer  our  present  systeln;  I  cer- 
tainly should  if  I  could  have  a  flat  ceiling  [for  maxi- 

1  p.  13. 


206  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

mum  reflection  of  light].  But  for  rooms  of  twenty 
feet  in  height  and  under  I  do  not  see  how  for  library 
purposes  one  could  choose  a  different  system;  certainly 
most  rooms  in  libraries  come  within  that  range." 

As  the  height  of  the  ordinary  room  in  a  library  need 
not  be  more  than  twelve  or  thirteen  feet;  or,  if  it  has 
to  correspond  with  two  stack  stories,  14  or  15  feet;  Mr. 
Koopman's  commendation  would  hold  for  all  library 
rooms,  except  lofty  halls. 

About  the  lighting  of  the  lofty  room,  Mr.  Charles  A. 
Coolidge,  architect  of  the  John  Hay  Library,  writes  as 
follows :  — 

"I  think  the  indirect  method  of  lighting  in  the  rooms 
where  the  ceilings  are  not  high,  is  very  successful.  It 
is  only  in  the  main  reading-room,  where  it  made  so 
many  hanging  fixtures,  that  I  did  not  like  the  effect; 
it  is  also  expensive,  as  they  have  to  use  so  many  more 
lights.  It  does  not  seem  to  me  very  cheerful  there,  and 
I  think  the  effect  would  be  better  if  we  had  two  chande- 
liers in  the  room  at  appropriate  places  where  they  would 
give  a  general  illumination,  and  would  be  high  enough 
to  keep  the  light  out  of  one's  eyes." 

I  hear  that  this  system  is  also  used  in  the  new  St. 
Louis  Public  Library  building,  but.  have  no  report  as 
to  its  merits. 

From  these  experiences,  west  and  east,  and  from  my 
own  observations  of  other  systems  in  very  many  libraries, 
I  am  prepared  to  recommend  trial  of  indirect  lighting; 
especially  as  encouragement  of  makers  will  undoubt- 
edly induce  them  to  remedy  any  faults  and  develop 
all  merits.  For  diffused  light  it  is  enough,  always  and 
everywhere.  For  shelves,  from  top  to  bottom,  it  is 
enough.  For  staff  desks  and  for  readers  with  strong 
eyes,  it  is  enough.  Weak  eyes,  accustomed  to  concen- 
trated light,  may  need  more;  hence  I  take  it  the  extra 


FEATURES  207 

Crerar  lamps.  New  patents  are  already  appearing. 
Mr.  Andrews  further  says  in  his  letter:  "A  combination 
of  this  method  with  the  direct  system,  called  'semi- 
indirect/  is  used  in  the  City  Club  at  Chicago." 

It  is  even  possible  that  the  expense  of  installation  and 
operation  may  be  reduced. 

Fixtures.  Have  these  plain  and  substantial.  If 
you  do  not  try  some  indirect  system,  but  hold  to  direct 
lighting,  do  not  surrender  yourself  to  the  first  or  the 
most  insistent  agent.  Urge  your  architect  to  a  deliberate 
study  of  lamps,  their  power,  position,  bulbs,  and  shading, 
and  indeed  all  their  appurtenances  and  fixtures. 

Do  not,  in  the  first  place,  let  the  architect  arrange  the 
lamps  for  picturesque  effect.  If  he  can  make  the  lights 
ideal  for  service  and  for  readers,  well  and  good;  but 
get  the  utilitarian  effect  first;  the  artistic  afterwards, 
if  you  can. 

Again,  do  not  accept  too  meekly  the  salesman's  or 
contractor's  or  architect's  selection  of  shades  and  fix- 
tures. Watch,  inspect,  read  everywhere,  and  when  you 
make  up  your  mind  clearly  what  is  best  for  you,  insist 
on  getting  it.  But  avoid  especially  "art  fixtures." 

I  have  been  especially  warned  not  to  use  the  orna- 
mental chain  pendant  for  chandeliers,  like  that  shown 
after  p.  14  of  the  above  mentioned  Report  of  Oculists. 
The  slighest  draft  will  twist  them,  and  break  the  wires 
inside. 

And  for  desk  or  table  electric  reading  lamps,  use  the 
movable  and  self-adjusting  kind,  so  that  every  reader 
can  turn  on  his  own  light,  and  arrange  its  angle  as  he 
chooses. 

In  General.  Very  large  libraries  can  perhaps  econo- 
mize by  installing  their  own  electric  plants,  but  get 


208  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

them  outside  the  building  if  possible,  as  the  jar  of  the 
engines  and  their  whir  are  disturbing.  In  a  group  of 
municipal  or  university  buildings,  the  library  can  get 
its  current  from  a  common  source. 

L.  B.  Marks,  103  Park  Avenue,  New  York,  has  written 
a  paper  on  "The  Design  of  Illumination  in  the  New  York 
Carnegie  Libraries."1  In  this  he  advises  consulting  a 
specialist  in  every  new  problem. 

In  fact,  with  the  complexity  of  functions  in  a  large 
library,  the  need  increases  of  seeking  the  advice  of 
specialists  on  many  points;  —  heating,  lighting,  ven- 
tilation, stacks,  fire-proof  vaults  are  subjects  where 
neither  the  librarian  or  the  architect  may  know  all 
the  latest  phases  of  the  subject,  and  really  want 
skilled  information. 

Champneys2  recommends  that  oil  lamps  be  kept 
lighted  at  stations  all  over  a  library,  lest  sudden  failure 
of  the  electric  light  plunge  it  into  darkness. 

1  34  L.  J.  16,  106.  2  p.  21. 


FEATURES  209 


Heating  and  Ventilation 

Except  far  north,  these  look  out  for  themselves  fairly 
well.  As  winter  approaches,  they  ought  to  look  out 
for  each  other.  When  you  begin  to  plan  for  artificial 
heat,  you  can  plan  for  ventilation  at  the  same  time. 

In  the  smallest  libraries,  in  wooded  regions,  wide 
fireplaces  with  wood  fires  make  cheerful  if  not  very 
even  heat,  and  excellent  ventilation  up  the  chimney.  In 
places  where  wood  is  scarce  or  dear,  some  sort  of  stove, 
like  those  used  in  groceries,  depots,  or  schools,  is  next 
called  into  play.  The  interior  view,  for  instance,  of 
the  Keene  Valley  Public  Library  (in  Eastman1)  shows 
such  a  stove  at  the  right.  The  floor  plans  show  a  "wood- 
house."  In  buying  a  stove,  one  of  the  makes  with  a 
jacket,  on  the  furnace  principle,  can  combine  heat  and 
ventilation  best. 

Fireplaces.  We  do  not  often  use  coal  grates,  but 
architectural  features  common  in  our  libraries  are  wood- 
fireplaces.  The  excuse  for  introducing  them  is  cosiness, 
cheerfulness,  and  ventilation.  They  are  certainly  cosy 
when  a  fire  is  kept  up,  but  tending  them  requires  a 
deal  of  time,  the  heat  is  rather  irregular,  the  ashes  are 
a  bit  blowy.  Ventilation  is  no  better  by  fireplace  than 
through  any  other  aperture,  unless  some  sort  of  flame 
is  kept  up  • — -a  tiny  gas-jet  under  the  flue  sometimes 
serves  as  an  irritant.  As  usually  built  they  cost  money; 
and  they  usually  interfere  with  wall-shelving  which  is 
needed.  In  small  libraries  with  wall  space  to  spare, 

1  p.  87. 


210  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

where  wood  is  the  cheapest  fuel,  it  may  be  well  to  have 
a  fireplace  with  a  fire  tended  by  the  townspeople ;  but  in 
larger  buildings  fireplaces  are  generally  nuisances,  to  be 
banished  to  the  trustees'  room,  if  the  architect  wants  one 
somewhere. 

Champneys1  thinks  "open  fires  are  to  be  avoided  in 
all  public  rooms,  because  of  unequal  distribution  of  heat, 
of  dust  and  noise,  and  of  labor."  This  is  undoubtedly 
true  of  soft-coal  grate  fires,  such  as  they  have  in  England, 
but  has  Champneys  ever  seen  the  cleanly  cheer  of  a 
country  fireplace,  full  of  six-foot  logs?  Few  of  us  can 
afford  them  even  in  forest  regions,  but  what  an  invi- 
tation such  a  glow  offers  in  a  rural  neighborhood! 

The  next  step  beyond  the  stove  would  be  the  ordinary 
dwelling-house  hot-air  furnace;  doubled  or  reinforced 
by  a  small  one,  if  the  house  is  a  little  too  large  to  provide 
properly-gauged  heat  for  all  varieties  of  weather  by  one 
furnace. 

During  these  smallest  stages  of  growth,  reliance  for 
ventilation  can  at  first  be  placed  on  crevices,  occasional 
opening  of  doors,  and  the  open  chimney. 

Window  Bar  Ventilation.  When  these  rudimentary 
means  become  inadequate,  the  simple  device  of  window 
bars  (as  I  have  found  in  my  own  house  and  office  for  a 
generation  past)  will  keep  even  the  air  of  crowded 
rooms  freshened,  without  drafts.  There  are  many 
patented  devices  embodying  this  principle,  but  there 
is  no  need  to  waste  money  on  them.  The  village 
carpenter  can  saw  out  for  every  window  a  plain  dupli- 
cate of  the  lower  bar,  a  quarter  of  an  inch  shorter, 
but  beveled  like  it,  to  slip  in  easily  and  tight.  When 
the  lower  sash  is  lifted,  this  bar  inserted,  and  the 
sash  shut  close  to  it,  there  is  a  space  above  between 

1  p.  24. 


FEATURES  211 

the  two  sashes,  which  at  the  same  time  lets  out  the  foul 
air,  and  lets  in  the  fresh,  without  any  perceptible  draft. 
The  only  caution  to  be  observed,  even  in  cold  weather, 
is  to  put  the  bar  on  the  leeward  windows,  away  from 
those  against  which  the  wind  is  blowing  too  strongly. 
This  simple  fresh  air  system  is  very  effective.  Try 
it  on  one  window  anywhere,  and  see  if  you  do  not 
like  it. 

The  Next  Method.  Next  comes  steam  heat,  very 
common,  very  unsatisfactory,  very  cheap;  with  radia- 
tors, very  ugly  in  a  library,  very  much  in  the  way; 
requiring  some  scheme  of  admitting  sufficient  fresh  air 
regularly,  and  ejecting  air  that  has  been  breathed. 

A  low-pressure  indirect  hot  water  system  gives  the 
best  heat,  most  easily  managed  and  properly  combined 
with  fresh  air  supply.  The  only  reason  that  it  is  not 
universally  adopted  is  that  steam  boilers  and  radiators 
are  cheaper.  Here,  however,  is  one  of  the  alternatives 
in  library  building  where  the  money  available  ought  to 
be  put  into  health  and  comfort  rather  than  into  mere 
show. 

For  ventilation,  in  the  simpler  forms  of  steam  and 
hot-air  heating,  the  simplest,  cheapest,  and  often  most 
effective  method  is  to  take  fresh  air  by  several  inlets 
direct  from  outside,  tip  under  radiators,  to  be  heated 
by  passage  through  them  and  let  out  into  the  room. 

In  large  libraries,  some  more  effective  system  of  heat- 
ing, with  forced  draft  ventilation  by  blowers,  fans  or 
inducers,  must  be  installed  by  the  architect  under  advice 
of  competent  engineers.  The  part  of  the  librarian  in  this 
stage  of  planning  will  be  to  get  the  building  committee 
to  take  the  most  effective  method,  rather  than  the 
cheapest,  diverting  to  this  essential  of  health  some  of  the 
funds  which  can  be  withheld  from  inside  or  outside  orna- 
ment. 


212  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Temperature.  One  of  the  striking  differences  between 
England  and  the  United  States  is  that  in  the  standards 
of  temperature,  Champneys  l  calls  for  60°  to  62°  Fahren- 
heit for  rooms,  56°  for  corridors.  Burgoyne1  reports  50° 
in  the  stack  at  Strassburg. 

The  A.  L.  A.  Committee  on  Ventilation  and  Lighting 
takes  as  the  standard  70°  as  a  medium  temperature  for 
the  circular  inquiries  it  is  making.  It  is  usually  assumed 
that  a  lower  standard  may  be  set  for  stacks,  and  places 
where  attendants  or  readers  move  around  rather  than 
sit.  Certainly  we  try  to  keep  our  houses  and  offices 
and  the  reading-rooms  of  our  libraries  68°  to  70°. 

In  General.  An  article  in  "The  Librarian,"2  speci- 
fies five  heaters,  thus:  — 

1.  Open  fire  grates;  cheerful  but  troublesome. 

2.  Hot-water  radiators;  popular. 

3.  Steam  radiators. 

4.  Gas  or  electric  heaters;  only  for  small  rooms. 

5.  Coal  stoves;  not  desirable  in  libraries. 

Thermometers.  Perhaps  the  architect  can  plan 
his  heating  apparatus  so  cleverly,  or  your  janitor  can 
run  the  plant  so  watchfully,  that  an  equable  and  agree- 
able temperature  can  be  maintained  everywhere.  Among 
your  fittings,  however,  do  not  fail  to  plan  for  plenty  of 
thermometers  as  indicators  to  be  watched  by  the  staff. 
Underheating  promotes  discomfort,  coughs,  colds;  over- 
heating stupefies  staff  and  readers. 

Basic  Advice.  In  1893  Dr.  John  S.  Billings,  now  of 
the  New  York  Public  Library,  published  an  interesting 
and  sensible  volume  on  Ventilation  and  Heating,  in 
which,  however,  no  special  mention  is  made  of  libraries. 
I  quote  some  general  remarks,  which  seem  pertinent:3  — 

1  D.  24  et  seq.  *  Vol.  1,  p.  91.  8  pp.  20,  21,  22,  23. 


FEATURES  213 

"It  is  important  that  those  who  form  and  direct 
opinion  on  this  subject  should  look  to  it  that  the  build- 
ings which  they  plan,  and  especially  those  in  which 
numbers  of  men,  women  or  children  are  to  be  brought 
together,  are  so  constructed  and  arranged  that  no  one 
shall  poison  himself  or  others  by  the  air  which  he  expires. 

"I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  every  man  should  aim 
to  be  an  expert  on  plans  and  specifications  for  ventilation, 
nor  that  he  should  rely  on  his  own  judgment  as  to  the 
best  way  to  secure  it,  but  that  he  should  insist  on  having 
it  provided  for,  and  should  see  that  skilled  advice  on  the 
subject  is  obtained. 

"Among  the  first  questions  which  the  architect  has  to 
solve  for  each  building  which  he  plans  or  constructs,  in 
order  to  secure  good  ventilation  are  the  following :  — 

"First — -  How  much  money  shall  be  allowed  to  secure 
ventilation  in  this  case? 

"Second  —  Which  of  several  methods  should  be  em- 
ployed to  effect  this,  taking  into  consideration  the  char- 
acter and  location  of  the  building,  and  the  amount  of 
funds  available? 

"It  is  also  the  business  of  the  architect  to  see  that  the 
builders  do  not,  in  a  spasm  of  economy  or  retrenchment, 
make  a  reduction  in  some  point  which  will  affect  the 
ventilation,  rather  than  cut  off  some  of  the  merely  orna- 
mental and  comparatively  useless  decorative  work  of  the 
exterior. 

"However  much  the  architect  may  be  inclined  to  let 
the  owners  have  their  own  way  in  planning  their  own 
residences;  when  it  comes  to  public  buildings,  it  is  his 
duty  not  only  to  advise  but  to  insist  on  proper  arrangements 
for  heating,  ventilation,  drainage  and  plumbing.  If  it 
be  his  misfortune  to  deal  on  such  matters  with  ignorant 
committee-men  who  with  a  limited  appropriation  per- 
sist in  omitting,  for  the  sake  of  cheapness,  some  of  those 


214  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

points  in  construction  which  are  essential  for  keeping 
the  building  in  proper  sanitary  condition,  it  is  his  duty 
as  a  skilled  professional  man  to  decline  to  have  anything 
to  do  with  the  matter  rather  than  suffer  himself  to  be 
used  as  a  tool  to  execute  work  which  he  knows  will  be 
dangerous  to  the  health  and  life  of  his  fellow-citizens 
or  of  their  children." 

These  are  ringing  words  to  be  addressed  to  an  archi- 
tect. How  much  more  do  they  apply  to  the  librarian  who 
is  the  expert  adviser  not  only  as  to  effective  methods 
of  work,  but  also  as  to  the  comfort  and  health  of  all  his 
staff  and  for  all  the  public  who  are  to  use  the  building. 

A  paper  by  Dr.  Billings,  on  the  special  subject  of 
Library  Heating  and  Ventilation,  after  his  experience 
in  New  York,  first  in  old  buildings  and  now  in  a  new 
building,  should  be  of  very  great  value. 


FEATURES  215 


Plumbing,  Drains,  Sewers 

This  is  another  group  to  be  provided  for  satisfactorily 
before  any  money  is  allotted  to  frills.  The  architect 
ought  to  be  expert  in  all  three  specialties;  but  a  house- 
holder wants  to  know  just  what  the  architect  is  going 
to  do  in  building  his  house.  The  librarian  is  in  this 
instance  the  housekeeper,  at  least,  and  has  not  only  a 
right,  but  a  duty,  of  inquisitiveness ;  for  carelessness 
or  mistakes  on  the  part  of  draftsmen,  ignorance  or 
worse  on  the  part  of  workman,  might  seriously  affect 
the  health  of  a  large  number  of  people. 

Underdraining.  Is  your  lot  dry  down  below  the 
foundations  of  the  building?  See  to  this  before  you 
start  to  build,  for  a  damp  basement  for  a  library  leads 
to  book-tuberculosis,  if  nothing  worse. 

Drains.  Gutters  send  a  lot  of  water  down  from  the 
roof,  and  unless  this  is  led  away  by  tight  conductors, 
leading  into  drains  that  are  sure  to  carry  it  off,  the  re- 
sulting moisture  will  gather  along  the  foundations  and 
show  on  the  inside  walls.  I  have  had  experience  and 
expense  with  this  trouble  on  my  own  premises. 

Sewers.  In  cities,  drains  and  sewers  usually  combine 
in  joint  drainage.  Here  you  have  to  watch  your  own 
grounds,  your  neighbors',  and  the  town's  connections; 
avoiding  interference,  and  watching  for  loose  joints,  care- 
less workmanship,  and  downright  dishonesty.  Watch 
your  architect,  watch  the  contractors. 


216  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Plumbing.  Be  very  careful  that  the  water  pipes 
do  not  run  too  near,  or  behind  or  directly  under  or  over 
the  shelves.  Bursting  pipes  threaten  damage  and  dis- 
aster to  books. 

In  indicating  where  you  want  your  water-fixtures, 
remember  that  unnecessary  scattering  entails  unneces- 
sary expense.  Economy  demands,  and  efficiency  rarely 
forbids,  putting  pipes  in  stacks  up  and  down  stairs,  one 
fixture  under  another,  and  all  near  chimneys  or  some- 
where else  safe  from  freezing. 

File  plans.  As  suggested  under  another  head,  keep 
your  plumbing  and  drainage  plans  separately,  file  them 
in  a  pamphlet  plainly  labelled  and  catalogued.  You 
may  want  in  a  hurry  sometime  to  know  just  where  every 
pipe  and  drain  can  be  got  at  easily. 


FEATURES  217 


Cleanliness 

Prevention.  It  has  been  suggested  that  library 
windows,  especially  stack  windows,  be  made  tight,  never 
to  be  opened ;  but  the  hermetically  sealed  library  does 
not  seem  to  appeal  strongly  to  the  public.  D4ust  can 
be  excluded  by  carefully  planned  vestibules,  and  by 
opening  windows  only  at  certain  times,  and  in  certain 
winds,  when  dust  outside  does  not  drive  in.  In  many 
large  libraries,  methods  of  dust-absorption  are  provided 
for  air-inlets,  and  such  excluders  are  common  to  all  sys- 
tems of  forced  draught. 

Inside  Dust.  In  addition  to  the  dust  that  drives 
in  from  the  street,  and  that  which  rises  from  mud  tracked 
in,  there  is  some  that  is  evolved  from  certain  book-bind- 
ings and  from  processes  of  handling,  which  has  to  be 
kept  down.  Library  housekeeping  is  a  steady  process. 

Cleaners.  The  old-fashioned  sweeping  and  mopping 
with  the  old  implements,  are  not  yet  out-of-date,  but 
there  are  many  more  or  less  expensive  patent  sweepers, 
which  are  supposed  to  be  dustless.  Vacuum  cleaners 
have  come  to  stay.  Mr.  Hodges  of  Cincinnati  antici- 
pated their  use  in  libraries  years  ago,  and  made  an  effec- 
tive machine  of  his  own.  A  simple  way  is  to  open  dusting 
ducts,  in  which  books  may  be  dusted  while  all  dust  is 
blown  away  outside.  But  in  a  large  enough  library,  it 
is  now  wise  while  installing  a  stack,  to  have  some 
system  of  vacuum  standpipes  built  in  to  reach  every 
floor;  and  in  any  library  some  of  the  simpler  and  more 
effective  forms  of  patent  sweepers  or  vacuum  cleaners 
may  be  provided  and  stored  in  basement,  attic  or 
closets. 


218  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

Bowls  and  Taps.  Sinks  with  taps  for  filling  pails 
are  useful  on  all  floors,  for  scrub-women  and  for  first 
aid  in  fires.  They  can  easily  be  combined  with  wash- 
bowls, thus  avoiding  multiplicity  of  fixtures. 

Wash-bowls.  Using  books  is  not  always  cleanly 
work,  and  both  attendants  and  readers  often  need  facili- 
ties for  washing  their  hands.  Wash-bowls  can  be  con- 
cealed in  closets  or  tucked  into  special  cupboards  in 
shelving,  where  they  are  not  obvious.  There  are  too 
few  of  them  oftener  than  too  many  in  a  library.  Con- 
sider the  rooms  there  where  staff  or  readers  might  wish 
to  wash  their  hands  after  handling  dusty  books.  Fre- 
quent ablutions  would  cleanse  the  users,  and  protect 
books.  Children,  sometimes  adults,  come  to  the  library 
with  grimy  hands,  so  that  wash-bowls  near  entrances 
may  be  welcome  conveniences.  But  all  bowls  should 
be  set  where  they  can  be  watched  by  one  of  the  staff. 

"The  library  of  the  future  will  be  found  to  contain 
lavatories  where  every  one  wishing  to  use  books  will 
first  have  to  cleanse  his  hands." — Reinick.  See  p.  222 
post. 


FEATURES  219 


Protection  from  Enemies 

Blades  in  his  "Enemies  of  Books"  enumerates  Fire, 
Water,  Gas,  Heat,  Dust,  Neglect,  Bookworms,  Mice 
and  other  vermin  [to  which  he  might  have  added  book 
thieves,  extra  illustrators,  mutilators  and  defacers]. 

Against  the  latter  group,  supervision  is  a  deterrent. 

Gas  is  vanishing  before  the  electric  light. 

Neglect  we  cannot  allow,  or  plead  guilty  to. 

Bookworms  and  vermin  have  not  apparently  worried 
our  libraries  as  much  as  those  of  the  old  world.  They  can 
hardly  be  guarded  against  in  building,  except  as  we 
guard  against  moisture  and  filth. 

Fire  is  a  great  danger  in  our  climate.  There  is  some 
quality  in  the  atmosphere  —  some  latent  condition  akin 
to  electricity,  which  feeds  flames.  We  have  concluded 
that  limits  of  expense  and  considerations  of  convenience 
render  it  impossible  to  make  our  buildings,  or  any  part 
of  them,  except  the  vault  for  valuables,  absolutely  fire- 
proof. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  books  will  always  remain 
combustible,  and  sensitive  to  injury  from  smoke  and 
water,  it  is  now  generally  conceded  that  all  we  need 
aim  at  is  isolation,  slow  combusion  through  "ware- 
house-construction," hollow  walls,  iron  or  steel  shelving, 
and  the  like. 

Outside  iron  shutters  are  considered  clumsy,  and  not 
so  good  protection  as  distance  from  other  buildings. 
Inside  iron  doors  are  frequently  neglected,  and  tend  to 
curl  up  in  hot  flames.  Local  fire  regulations  sometimes 
require  protected  doors  through  partitions  —  for  which 


220  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

slow-burning  wood,  tinned,  is  preferred.  These  are 
often  interposed  between  the  stack  and  the  rest  of  the 
building.  The  stack  can  be  made  more  fire-proof  than 
the  rest,  without  much  extra  expense.  Its  greatest 
danger,  shared  with  other  parts,  is  from  crossed  electric 
wires.  Against  these,  careful  installation  by  conscientious 
electrical  experts  is  the  chief  protection. 

Thoroughly  fire-proofing  the  boiler-rooms,  ash-pit 
and  waste-paper  bin  is  a  protection  any  building  can 
have,  and  in  many  cases  these  can  all  be  set  outside. 
Heating-pipes  can  be  kept  from  contact  with  woodwork 
or  books,  and  can  be  protected  with  asbestos  or  other- 
wise. 

Material  is  a  great  factor  of  danger  or  safety.  Wood, 
unless  treated  chemically,  is  more  dangerous  than  iron 
or  stone,  but  inside  iron  needs  protection  from  flame,  lest 
it  yield  when  most  needed.  In  the  San  Francisco  fire, 
brick  and  terra  cotta  withstood  heat  better  than  marble, 
granite,  sandstone,  or  limestone.1 

The  great  use  now  made  of  concrete  for  floors,  ceilings, 
partitions,  and  walls  renders  modern  buildings  safer  from 
fire,  and  is  to  be  commended  especially  in  libraries. 

The  roof  is  vulnerable  and  should  be  of  non-inflam- 
mable material,  fire-proofed  if  possible.  Sparks  blown 
from  neighboring  conflagrations,  lighting  on  an  un- 
guarded public  building,  give  the  greatest  outside  dan- 
ger. Tar  roofs  are  said  to  be  non-combustible,  when 
properly  gravelled,  but  do  not  be  too  sure  of  them.  Tile, 
slate,  asbestos-shingles  should  insure  you. 

Elevators.  These  and  lifts  furnish  in  their  shafts 
daugerous  draft-flues  for  fires  stating  below.  If  there 
is  any  way  to  provide  doors  and  trap-doors  easily  man- 
aged, to  shut  off  every  floor,  one  great  danger  of  spread 
of  fire  is  removed. 

1  Geo.  T.  Clark,  12  P.  L.  256. 


FEATURES  221 

Glass.  As  outside  shutters  are  objectionable,  tough 
wire-glass,  which  does  not  break  easily  from  heat,  will 
furnish  a  measurable  protection  from  outside  fire,  with- 
out materially  diminishing  light.  Indeed  it  may  trans- 
mit or  reflect  light  better  than  large  panes  of  plate  glass, 
which  shatter  too  easily. 

Fire-buckets  on  every  floor,  prescribed  in  many 
insurance  regulations,  are  not  so  necessary  when 
there  are  water-taps  handy  everywhere,  as  recom- 
mended above.  Fire  extinguishers,  however,  are  not 
superfluous. 

Standpipes.     In   large  buildings  the    local    fire   de 
partment  can  aid  the  architect  by  suggesting  the  most 
effective  location  for  service  pipes  to  command  every 
corner  of  every  room  and  passage  most  effectively  and 
economically. 

Lightning.  Lightning  rods,  once  deemed  so  essen- 
tial, do  not  seem  popular  now,  but  metal  standpipes, 
and  steel  stacks,  well-grounded,  would  certainly  serve 
to  carry  lightning  down  to  the  depth  of  permanent 
moisture.  I  cannot  hear  that  lightning  has  ever  found 
stacks  attractive. 

Water.  Leaks  are  bad  for  books,  and  fussy  for  folks. 
Roofs  and  cellars  may  let  in  moisture,  and  a  library 
needs  tightness  in  both.  Unless  it  is  well  constructed 
and  tested  at  the  outset,  the  leaks,  the  seepage  of  a 
building  are  hard  to  find  and  to  stop.  No  care  and 
thought  should  be  spared  concerning  this  insidious 
enemy,  from  choosing  the  site  to  flashing  the  roof- 
tree. 

Since  drafting  this  chapter,  I  am  reminded  by  an 
article  in  Vol.  I  of  the  "Library  Association  Record,"1 
of  certain  bookworms  or  grubs  I  have  found  in  old  books 
from  the  damp  shores  of  our  gulf  states.  Mr.  Widman 

1  p.  369. 


222  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

of  St.  Charles  College  is  quoted  as  saying,  "We  see  the 
time  when  we  shall  have  to  burn  part  of  our  books  to 
save  the  other  part."  But  I  find  no  suggestion  as  to  any 
provisions  in  building  which  would  check  such  pests. 
Rigid  exclusion  of  moisture  from  foundations  and  walls 
would  probably  be  the  only  palliative. 

I  have  noticed  cloth  bindings  of  books,  especially  public 
documents  from  gulf  states,  badly  eaten  by  roaches. 

William  R.  Reinick,  Chief  of  Documents  in  the 
Philadelphia  Free  Library,  has  printed  results  of  experi- 
ments as  to  insects  that  destroy  books,  in  Scientific 
American  Supplements  of  Dec.  24,  1910,  and  May  11, 
1912.  He  says: - 

"It  has  been  stated  that  more  books  have  been 
destroyed  by  small  forms  of  life  than  by  fire  and  water 
combined." 

"Heat,  dampness,  and  dirt  deposited  in  handling 
books,  develop  worms,  etc." 

"Libraries  keep  many  books  in  dark  places,  badly 
ventilated.  Darkness,  damp  air,  and  leaving  books 
long  undisturbed,  favor  propagation  of  small  forms  of  life." 

"Light  and  cleanliness  are  the  two  most  important 
factors  in  preventing  the  ravages  of  insects  and  also  of 
fungi  which  grow  upon  and  in  books  in  a  damp,  warm 
atmosphere." 

While  few  libraries  in  our  northern  states  have 
suffered  from  book  worms  and  the  like,  will  it  not  be 
well  to  experiment  before  entrusting  rare  books  to 
sliding  cases,  or  any  books  to  dark  central  or  especially 
underground  stacks? 

Stacks.  There  is  one  danger  in  many  stacks.  A 
wide  space  is  left  between  "deck"  and  shelves  on  each 
edge.  The  danger  of  dropping  small  articles  like 
pencils  and  pads  is  elsewhere  spoken  of  but  do  not  such 
unnecessary  wide  spaces  increase  the  danger  of  fire 
from  below  and  leaks  from  above? 


FEATURES  223 


Fire-proof  Vaults 

But  if  it  is  deemed  unnecessary  to  go  to  the  expense 
of  fire-proofing  the  whole  building,  it  is  certainly  neces- 
sary for  every  library  which  has  valuable  books,  manu- 
scripts, or  records,  to  have  some  sort  of  a  strong  room, 
proof  against  both  fire,  moisture,  and  ordinary  book- 
thieves.  This  should  be  large  enough  for  present  treas- 
ures and  probable  growth,  and  can  be  treated  as  one 
of  the  luxuries  of  the  building,  where  luxury  can  be 
afforded.  It  need  not  rob  any  reading-room  of  light, 
but  can  be  located  in  a  dark  corner  of  the  cellar  or  else- 
where which  seems  useless  for  any  other  purpose.  Unless 
watched,  builders  are  apt  to  slight  vaults,  and  finish 
them  rough,  shabby,  or  damp.  This  is  inexcusable,  now 
that  such  conveniences  are  common  in  banks,  even 
in  small  towns.  There  must  be  many  expert  and  honest 
vault  builders  in  every  large  city.  For  light,  ventilation 
and  comfort  refer  to  any  "Safe-Deposit  Vaults"  below 
banks.  For  absolute  security  read  of  the  safety  with 
which  so  large  a  quantity  of  bonds  came  out  of  the 
Equitable  fire  in  New  York.  When  you  allot  your  bids, 
take  the  expert  constructor  of  the  firm  contracting  for 
the  vault,  into  your  confidence,  and  ask  his  advice  about 
such  late  improvements  as  need  not  increase  his  bid. 
He  ought  to  want  the  advertisement  of  your  approba- 
tion as  much  as  you  want  an  excellent  piece  of  work. 

A  plain  fire-proof  brick  bin  for  waste  paper  and  rub- 
bish and  one  for  hot  ashes  are  guardians  against  fire. 

A  common  safe  will  be  enough  for  the  account  books 
and  most  essential  records  of  a  small  library  which  can- 
not afford  a  vault.  If  the  floor  is  made  strong  enough, 
it  can  be  kept  in  a  corner  or  a  closet  reserved  for  it  in 
the  librarian's  or  trustees'  room. 


224  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Central  Spaces 

Large  rectangular  buildings  have  central  spaces  and 
one  of  the  first  questions  for  the  planners  —  indeed  the 
key  to  the  whole  design —  is  "what  use  shall  we  make 
of  this  space,  leave  it  open,  devote  it  to  reading  or  deliv- 
ery, or  occupy  it  by  stacks?" 

Areas  are  often  used  to  light  basement  windows,  but 
they  are  apt  to  catch  rubbish  and  in  winter  to  invite 
snowdrifts,  which  are  difficult  to  clean  out.  Where  they 
must  be  used  they  are  better  if  extended  to  form  a  sort 
of  moat,  wide  enough  to  be  reached  by  a  special  flight 
of  steps,  for  use  in  cleaning,  and  lined  with  white  stone 
or  glazed  brick  to  reflect  light  into  the  basement. 

Courtyards.  In  large  buildings,  a  large  courtyard 
admits  light  to  all  the  interior  walls,  but  is  usually  too 
wasteful  of  space.  The  interior  is  generally  used  either 
for  delivery,  reading  or  stack;  not  solidly  occupying  the 
whole  available  space;  lighted  from  the  top,  and  so 
shaped  as  to  leave  small  corner  courtyards  as  shafts 
for  light  and  air.  If  the  walls  of  these  shafts  are  faced 
with  glazed  brick,  they  may  light,  very  effectively,  inside 
rooms,  passages  and  stairs. 

Kept  Open.  In  the  Boston  Public  Library,  the  cen- 
tral space  was  planned  for  architectural  effect,  and  left 
open.  This  arrangement,  if  the  interior  walls  had  win- 
dows planned  for  light,  rather  than  for  effect,  would 
render  both  faces  of  all  four  sides  of  the  building,  avail- 
able for  useful  rooms;  but  as  it  is,  adequate  light  is  not 


FEATURES  225 

given  to  rooms,  and  thus  is  wasted.  When  attention 
was  called  to  this  waste,  and  to  the  disjunctive  effect 
which  threw  communications  out  to  exterior  lines,  the 
advocates  of  the  scheme  enlarged  upon  the  opportunities 
it  would  give  for  readers  to  carry  books  out  there  and 
read  under  the  aesthetic  effects  of  a  canopy  which  ex- 
cludes direct  light  from  the  lower  story,  as  the  monks 
of  old  are  pictured  as  using  their  arcades.  With  this 
in  mind  I  have  often  peered  out  there  from  the  stair- 
case windows,  but  have  never  detected  such  a  reader. 
The  present  effect  may  please  aesthetic  visitors,  but  I 
doubt  if  it  could  secure  a  vote  from  practical  modern 
librarians. 

Central  Reading  Room.  With  the  huge  reading 
rooms  of  the  Library  of  Congress  and  the  British  Mu- 
seum in  mind,  anyone  can  understand  this  use,  which 
is  striking.  Whether  it  is  the  ideal  form  for  a  reading- 
room  is  more  doubtful.  It  certainly,  when  high,  wastes 
a  deal  or  room  in  upper  space,  not  needed  for  light  or 
ventilation,  and  it  needlessly  blocks  light  which  might 
render  the  inner  fronts  of  the  building  useful  for  various 
purposes.  In  this  position  of  the  reading  or  delivery 
room,  the  corresponding  stack  would  cross  the  rear, 
and  perhaps  range  along  the  sides  of  the  rectangle. 

Central  Delivery.  Another  use  is  for  the  main 
delivery,  with  generally  a  lower  roof  than  a  reading- 
room  would  have  unless  obstructive.  If  light  for  this 
is  drawn  from  above  it  will  be  ample  for  enough  floor 
shelving  to  bring  certain  parts  of  the  open-access  books 
near  to  the  desk  and  catalog. 

Stacks.  Sometime  in  the  future,  all  the  central 
space  of  a  large  building  may  be  given  to  a  solid  stack, 
from  sub-cellars  to  roof,  lighted  only  by  electricity, 
ventilated  from  above  by  forced  draught,  and  opening 
on  reading  and  administrative  rooms  all  around. 


226  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

But  until  this  era  of  dark  storage  (which  heaven  for- 
fend!)  there  is  a  possibility  of  stacks  in  the  form  of  cross- 
sections,  or  a  Greek  cross,  with  corner  areas  for  light 
and  air,  and  feeding  a  smaller  central  room  for  reading 
or  delivery,  or  even  feeding  suites  of  reading  rooms 
around  the  perimeter  after  the  fashion  of  the  Library  of 
Congress  building. 

Combination.  Still  another  use  of  the  center  space 
is  possible  (as  in  the  new  Brooklyn  Central  Library 
plans):  stories  of  stacks  below,  delivery-room  above, 
on  the  level  with  the  ground  floor  of  the  building;  the 
reading  room  above  that. 

Dark  Places.  There  will  inevitably  come  corners  in 
every  building  where  full  light  cannot  get  in.  Some 
faulty  buildings  are  full  of  such  corners.  Study  the 
plans  you  find,  to  detect  such  faults  and  avoid  them. 
When  your  own  plans,  after  all  your  care,  disclose  such 
spots  of  darkness,  think  over  your  various  needs  and 
see  if  some  use  cannot  be  made  of  such  otherwise  wasted 
gaps.  There  are  some  closets,  even  rooms,  which  do  not 
require  any  light,  or  require  it  so  seldom  that  a  flash  of 
electric  light,  now  and  then,  will  serve  almost  as  well  as 
daylight.  For  instance,  there  is  the  book  vault,  the 
photographic  dark  room,  many  closets  for  supplies, 
shelves  for  duplicates;  heaters,  coal  bunks,  ash  and  waste 
paper  bins,  et  id  genus  omne.  All  such  that  you  can  rele- 
gate to  places  hopelessly  dark,  will  leave  so  much  more 
free  daylight  to  be  used. 

Closets.  Closets  in  a  library  need  not  be  as  numerous 
as  in  a  dwelling  house,  but  they  are  about  as  useful. 
Careful  planning  can  get  them  in  where  they  are  wanted 
without  sacrificing  space  which  can  be  used  for  books  or 
readers.  For  instance,  rooms  as  you  have  to  fit  them 
into  your  floor  plans  often  have  one  dimension  a  bit  too 
long.  Some  times,  you  have  a  librarian's  room  which 


FEATURES  227 

seems  rather  to  waste  two  or  three  feet  farthest  from  the 
windows.  Make  a  closet  of  this,  or  a  nook  for  drawers 
and  books.  The  next  room  is  a  thought  too  wide. 
Slice  two  feet  off  the  width  into  a  row  of  cupboards  or 
wardrobes.  Show  your  ingenuity  in  such  refinements  of 
planning. 

And  every  closet  is  much  like  every  library.  It  is 
capable  of,  and  it  deserves  individuality.  Instead  of 
making  a  dozen  closets  alike,  plan  a  separate  use  for  each, 
and  lay  out  its  drawers,  shelves,  cupboards,  books,  wash- 
bowls, beforehand.  This  will  save  you  steps  and  minutes 
later,  and  reap  the  satisfaction  of  smooth  service. 

Store-rooms.  Store-rooms  differ  somewhat  from 
closets  —  they  are  more  wholesale.  They  require  much 
planning  in  detail.  Do  you  want  bins,  open  shelving, 
or  glass  doors?  Do  you  want  hinged  doors,  or  sliding? 
Do  you  want  bins  or  drawers  below,  and  shelves  above? 
Do  you  want  the  same  treatment  all  round  and  per- 
haps in  the  middle  of  the  floor?  Do  you  need  high 
shelves,  or  pigeon-holes,  or  pegs,  or  hooks? 

You  must  plan  storage  for  stationery,  material,  labels. 

Closets  of  course,  can  be  used  for  storage,  in  addition 
to  other  uses,  toilet,  wraps,  etc. 


228  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Lifts:  Elevators 

Lifts.  By  this  phrase  are  designated  booklifts  —  for 
single  volumes  or  small  lots,  as  distinguished  from  ele- 
vators to  carry  passengers  and  boxes.  Lifts  are  chiefly 
used  in  stacks,  and  will  be  considered  under  that  head. 
They  are  also  needed  between  administration  rooms 
on  different  floors,  as  from  the  unpacking  room  to  the 
catalog-room,  and  from  the  desk  or  the  stacks  up  to 
special  reading  rooms. 

For  small  libraries,  hand  lifts  can  be  made  to  run 
easily.  In  larger  libraries,  electric  lifts  save  a  deal  of 
time,  but  these  are  more  expensive  in  first  cost  and  cost 
of  operation  and  repair. 

Champneys1  says,  "Line  cages  with  leather  or  rubber. 
Attach  clips  for  papers." 

Elevators.  These  are  not  at  all  needed  in  small  lib- 
raries, and  their  use  should  be  postponed  as  long  as  pos- 
sible as  a  library  grows  larger,  not  only  on  account  of 
initial  cost,  space  required,  and  danger  of  furnishing 
upward  drafts  in  case  of  fire,  but  because  of  the  treble 
cost  of  running  —  power,  manning  and  tinkering.  They 
are  one  of  the  necessary  nuisances  of  large  buildings. 

When  used,  they  may  be  installed  in  dark  inside 
corners,  and  should  so  accommodate  passage  up  and 
down  that  less  space  need  be  put  into  staircases.  They 
should  open  outside  rather  than  inside  rooms,  even  if 

1  p.  29. 


FEATURES  229 

special  corridors  have  to  be  provided.  The  stir  of  opera- 
tion, entrance  and  exit  is  very  disturbing  for  staff  as 
well  as  for  readers. 

The  necessity  of  installing  an  elevator  marks  a  de- 
batable and  epochal  point  in  the  development  of  a  library. 
Indeed  I  have  thought  of  classifying  buildings,  —  those 
which  can  get  along  without  elevators;  and  those  that 
must  have  them.  Here  comes  a  great  leap  in  the  expense 
of  operation. 

The  number  of  elevators  in  the  building,  their  size, 
their  position,  the  system  of  operating  them,  all  have 
an  immediate  bearing  on  annual  operating  expenses, 
and  in  very  large  libraries  need  a  vast  amount  of 
special  study  and  conference. 


230  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Mechanical  Carriers 

Some  jubilation  has  been  expressed  by  librarians  and 
architects  over  the  conquest  of  space  through  the  aid  of 
invention,  but  space  and  time  have  not  yet  been  entirely 
annihilated.  Two  hundred  feet  by  carrier  may  be  shorter 
than  a  hundred  by  foot,  but  it  is  still  twice  as  far  as  a 
hundred  feet  by  carrier,  and  in  planning  to  use  mechani- 
cal aids,  it  is  still  necessary  to  remember  that  a  straight 
line  is  the  shortest  distance  between  two  points. 

For  small  packages  and  small  libraries,  tubes  (pneu- 
matic propulsion  or  exhaust)  are  the  simplest  contriv- 
ance for  horizontal  carriage,  and  they  will  serve  many 
purposes  in  larger  libraries. 

In  large  buildings  it  is  usually  wise  to  provide  some 
sort  of  machinery  from  remote  parts  of  the  stack  to  the 
delivery  desk,  and  also  direct  to  the  reading-room  floors; 
although  the  leading  specialist  on  this  subject,  Bernard 
R.  Green l  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  warns  that  they 
should  only  be  adopted  as  a  matter  of  necessity,  for 
they  require  expenditure,  space  and  complicated  ma- 
chinery. There  are  forms  to  be  studied  in  most  of  the 
very  large  libraries, g  overnment,  university  and  public. 
As  every  new  library  building  will  probably  devise  some 
decided  improvement  in  tubes  and  carriers,  I  will  not 
take  space  here  to  describe  the  different  devices  now  in 
use,  but  will  advise  very  careful  study  of  every  problem 
as  it  arises.  Burgoyne2  describes  the  Boston  Public 
1  25  L.  J.  679.  *  p.  250. 


FEATURES  231 

Library  System.1  The  Library  of  Congress  under- 
ground system  which  has  been  in  continuous  service 
satisfactorily  since  1897,  has  also  been  very  well  des- 
cribed in  The  Library.2 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  services  I  have  seen  are  heavier, 
clumsier  and  slower  than  is  necessary,  and  that  some- 
thing of  the  ingenuity  that  has  been  put  into  commercial 
cash -carrier  systems  might  devise  for  libraries  book- 
baskets,  run  on  wires,  which  would  serve  all  purposes 
for  single  volumes  or  small  lots  of  books.  Those  now 
operating  also  suggest  frequent  stoppages  for  repairs. 
"Carriers  that  turn  corners  are  apt  to  get  out  of  order," 
says  Bostwick.3 

But  at  all  events,  no  conveniences  of  machinery  should 
serve  as  an  architectural  excuse  for  separating  or  in- 
increasing  distance  between  departments. 

Tunnels.  For  passage  from  cellar  of  one  building 
to  another  in  groups;  or  from  one  wing  to  another  in 
the  same  building,  underground  passages  may  be  re- 
quired. They  are  usually  floored,  ceiled  and  walled, 
with  stone  or  cement,  but  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  in 
some  cases,  large  cast-iron  water  pipes,  well  laid,  would 
make  a  cheaper,  tighter,  stronger  and  otherwise  more 
satisfactory  communication.  For  staff  usage  the  height 
of  a  small  man  is  sufficient;  for  bulky  boxes  the  size 
of  a  car  running  on  rails,  and  drawn  by  hand  or  by  end- 
less chain,  would  define  the  width,  and  a  slight  additional 
height  would  allow  for  overhead  hanging  book-baskets. 

'See  L.  C.  Report  1910  .p,355.        22d  Ser.  Vol.  2,  p.  285.      3  p.  284. 


232  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Telephones  and  Tubes 

These  are  most  necessary  for  quick  work.  All  libra- 
ries with  more  than  one  story,  or  even  more  than  one 
room,  can  use  speaking-tubes  to  advantage.  They  are 
inexpensive,  and  are  easily  put  in  while  building.  If 
installed  at  first,  they  need  not  cost  much,  and  save 
many  steps,  if  they  be  run  only  from  the  librarian's  desk 
to  the  janitor.  For  larger  libraries,  they  can  connect 
desk  and  stack,  librarian  and  assistants,  departments 
with  each  other.  In  stacks  they  are  very  serviceable, 
placed  next  the  lift  and  running  both  to  delivery  desk 
and  to  janitor's  room.  In  still  larger  libraries  some 
form  of  house-telephone  will  speed  and  simplify  service, 
with  an  exchange  desk,  switchboard,  and  special  operator. 

Consult  the  local  telephone  company  about  the  differ- 
ent styles  and  prices.  You  will  perhaps  be  surprised  to 
find  how  cheaply  they  can  be  set  and  run,  even  as  com- 
pared with  a  speaking-tube  system. 

Dr.  Richard  Garnett  recommends  the  telautograph 
for  transmitting  inquiries  and  orders,1  and  also  says,2 
"In  planning  large  libraries,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take 
mechanical  contrivances  into  account  to  a  much  greater 
extent  than  hitherto." 

Less  marble  columns,  fewer  dadoes,  and  more  tubes 
and  telephones,  would  ensure  a  better  working  library. 

1  Ess.  in  Librarianship,  p.  253.  2  Ibid,  p.  271. 


E. 

DEPARTMENTS  AND 
ROOMS 


In  this  Book 

suggestions  are  made 

as  to  location  and  equipment  of 

every  room  in  a  library. 

Note  especially 

Stack-towers,   Carrels,  and 

Sliding  Cases. 


E. 
DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS 


PART  I 


ADMINISTRATION   ROOMS 

While  books  are  the  substance  of  a  library  and  readers 
the  object,  how  to  bring  them  together  is  the  key  to 
arrangement  of  the  plan;  therefore  the  first  considera- 
tion among  rooms  is  here  given  to  administration. 

Except  as  otherwise  specified  later,  the  working  rooms 
ought  to  be  put  in  the  center  of  the  library,  in  order  of 
processes  for  handling  books  and  serving  readers,  and 
ought  to  be  in  the  most  direct  connection  possible  with 
each  other,  with  stacks  and  with  reading  rooms.  Here 
centers  good  planning. 

Always  remember  what  economy  lies  in  close  connec- 
tions, concentration,  and  short  distances. 

Every  saving  in  communication  may  mean  an  attend- 
ant saved,  and  a  smaller  pay-roll. 

"Ease  and  smoothness  of  administration  are  to  further 
public  service  or  lessen  expense."  —Bostwick.1 

"They  must  be  in  sequence,  so  that  books  may  be 
(1)  received;  (2)  catalogued;   (3)  prepared;   (4)  shelved, 
without  jumping  around   from   one   part   to   another." 
—  Idem.2 

See  excellent  article  by  W.  K.  Stetson  on  centralized 
administration,  36  L.  J.,  p.  467. 

1  p.  84.  2  p.  28. 


236  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

In  his  article  on  Library  Buildings,  in  the  U.  S.  Public 
Libraries  Special  Report  of  1876,1  Justin  Winsor  pictures 
the  preliminary  operations  of  preparing  books  for  the 
reader  —  the  first  steps  of  administration,  as  carried 
out  in  a  large  room,  surrounded  by  stalls  connected  by 
tramways  for  book  boxes,  and  supervised  by  a  superin- 
tendent from  a  raised  platform  in  the  centre,  who  directs 
the  successive  operations  and  operators,  all  under  his 
eye. 

This  arrangement  persists,  but  except  so  far  as  it  gov- 
erns packing  and  unpacking,  is  now  usually  separated 
into  different  rooms,  all  made  parts  of  a  suite,  connected 
either  horizontally  or  perpendicularly,  and  served  by 
special  lifts  and  elevators. 

Such  rooms  for  a  large  library  are  here  described  in 
separate  chapters.  In  smaller  libraries  practically  the 
same  operations  are  compressed  into  fewer  rooms. 

1  Parti  p.  467. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  237 


Trustees'  Room 

In  very  small  libraries  none  is  necessary;  nor  need  one 
be  set  aside,  as  the  library  grows  larger,  until  other  more 
necessary  rooms  are  provided  for.  The  trustees  as  a 
body  do  not  meet  every  day,  and  their  committees 
only  meet  an  hour  or  so  at  a  time,  so  that  they  can 
well  use  one  of  the  staff  rooms  whose  occupants  can 
temporarily  get  busy  elsewhere,  or  use  special  rooms 
only  occasionally  used. 

In  growing  libraries,  when  rooms  have  to  be  set  aside 
for  any  purposes  which  do  not  require  constant  occupa- 
tion, any  one  of  these  can  be  used  for  trustees.  Their 
meetings,  and  those  of  their  committees,  are  generally 
held  in  late  afternoon  or  evening,  when  it  would  not  inter- 
fere with  intermittent  processes  or  infrequent  readers. 
It  has  always  seemed  to  me  that  a  Local  History  room 
would  be  an  excellent  refuge  for  trustees  in  a  building 
where  space  had  to  be  economized,  especially  as  local  his- 
tory is  a  proper  function  for  a  small  library  with  either 
an  active  librarian,  or  an  active  local  society,  or  both. 

When  the  library  gets  larger,  it  is  well  to  consider  that 
the  trustees  represent  the  public  which  owns  the  library. 
They  are  usually  selected  with  care  for  what  is  held  to 
be  the  most  honorable  position  in  town.  They  serve 
without  pay.  In  character,  in  prominence,  in  responsi- 
bility, in  service,  their  board  deserves  prominent  recog- 
nition in  planning  a  building.  As  they  will  use  their 
quarters  less  often  than  staff  or  readers  use  their  rooms, 
they  need  not  take  up  any  space  which  is  desirable  for 


238  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

active  departments.  They  can  be  put  anywhere  in  the 
building  where  space  can  best  be  spared.  But  as  they 
are  sometimes  elderly  men,  they  ought  not  to  be  expected 
to  climb  many  flights  of  stairs,  and  in  buildings  without 
elevators,  should  not  have  to  go  higher  than  the  second 
floor. 

In  furniture  and  decoration,  a  deal  of  money  has  been 
wasted  on  trustees'  rooms.  They  ought  to  have  a  cheer- 
ful, cosey,  dignified  and  comfortable  room,  but  as  no 
library  ever  has  enough  money  for  its  actual  needs,  it  is 
willful  and  sinful  waste  to  devise  massive  and  costly 
furniture  (usually  very  uncomfortable)  and  splendid 
ornament,  for  the  modest  gentlemen  (and  ladies)  who 
will  spend  a  few  hours  there  every  month. 

Good  proportions,  cheerful  color,  good  natural  and 
artificial  light,  a  warm  carpet  perhaps,  a  ceiling  not  too 
lofty,  comfortable  yet  not  necessarily  expensive  furni- 
ture, with  lockers  or  hat  racks,  even  a  fireplace  if  the 
architect  thinks  it  would  add  to  the  effect  of  the  room 
(here  a  fireplace  would  be  most  permissible) ;  these  will 
make  an  apartment  where  trustees  can  be  at  their  best, 
wise,  sensible,  never  contentious  or  captious. 

Even  then,  it  does  not  seem  necessary  to  set  aside  an 
otherwise  useless  room  entirely  to  a  board  which  occu- 
pies it  so  seldom.  Think  if  it  cannot  be  put  to  some 
special  use,  for  clubs,  or  if  that  would  desecrate  it,  to 
housing  some  special  collection  not  likely  to  be  wanted 
at  the  hours  of  board  meetings.  By  all  means  shelve  it 
round  about  —  there  is  no  decoration  in  a  library  like 
books  in  good  binding,  even  in  bright  cloth  covers, — • 
and  let  it  be  one  of  the  semi-public  rooms,  to  be  shown 
with  pride;  or  sparingly  used  by  those  readers  or  stu- 
dents who  deserve  to  be  ranked  as  users  with  trustees. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  239 


Librarian's  Room 

Though  the  delivery  room  be  the  center  of  service,  the 
librarian's  room  is  the  center  of  direction.  Whether  it 
should  be  close  to  the  delivery  room  or  to  any  special 
department,  depends  first  upon  the  size  of  the  library, 
then  upon  its  class  and  methods.  Sometimes  it  is 
thought  well  for  the  librarian  not  only  to  be  in  close 
touch  with  his  staff,  but  to  be  accessible  to  the  public. 
If  he  does  not  wish  to  use  his  time  entirely  as  an  informa- 
tion clerk,  a  position  may  be  assigned  to  him  quite  apart 
from  staff  or  public  rooms,  on  any  floor.  Modern  sys- 
tems of  tube  or  telephone  (which  should  always  be 
liberally  provided  to  keep  all  departments  in  close  call), 
will  sufficiently  overcome  distance  to  enable  him  to 
summon  to  his  room  anyone  he  wishes  to  see.  Champ- 
neys  even  suggests  an  extra  exit  as  an  escape  from  bores, 
if  they  succeed  in  getting  in. 

Where  his  position  is  to  be,  in  the  building,  it  is  for 
the  librarian  to  decide,  provided  the  trustees  approve 
him  sufficiently  to  keep  him  to  run  the  new  building. 
He  is  to  run  it,  and  he  ought  to  have  the  place  which 
will  let  him  run  it  most  easily,  according  to  the  methods 
he  may  wish  to  follow.  No  one  else  should  compel  him 
to  go  where  he  will  be  hampered  by  any  discomforts. 

As  to  arrangements  and  furniture,  there  will  be  needed 
such  tables  as  the  size  of  the  room  may  allow,  such  chairs 
as  the  occupant  may  require,  as  well  as  enough  for 
visitors,  wardrobes  for  his  clothes,  closets  for  his  stores 
(see  list  of  stores  which  may  be  needed  in  a  stationery 
cabinet  —  Duff -Brown1},  private  toilet  room,  a  space 

1  p.  281. 


240  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

(usually)  for  a  small  fireproof  safe  for  his  and  the  trus- 
tees' valuable  immediate  papers,  such  wall  shelving  as 
he  may  require  for  his  personal  books  and  bibliography, 
telephone  and  tube  space  handy  to  his  seat,  a  keyboard 
for  keys,  and  enough  free  floor  space  for  such  revolving 
bookcases  and  such  floor  cases  as  he  may  further  re- 
quire, not  to  forget  passage  room  for  visitors. 

As  to  location,  so  as  to  arrangement,  the  librarian 
should  here  have  a  free  hand,  however  much  he  must 
yield  his  preferences  elsewhere.  It  is  his  room,  and 
should  be  a  part  of  his  individuality.  To  allow  this  to 
him,  is  the  first  and  longest  step  toward  good  adminis- 
tration during  the  whole  life  of  the  building. 

In  England,  a  private  residence  is  often  provided  in  the 
building  for  the  librarian,  but  seldom  or  never  in  America. 

Ante-room.  In  a  library  of  some  size,  a  compara- 
tively small  room,  or  even  two  or  three  low  rooms  are 
very  much  better  for  the  librarian  than  one  large,  high 
room.  If  there  is  an  assistant  librarian  or  private  secre- 
tary, he  needs  a  separate  room,  and  if  there  is  to  be  a  pri- 
vate stenographer,  she  can  share  this  outer  room,  and  either 
part  of  it,  or  still  another  room  can  be  assigned  to  staff 
or  public,  waiting  for  their  turn  of  admittance.  Indeed, 
a  suite  of  three  not  very  large  rooms  is  quite  ideal, 
especially  as  many  of  the  librarian's  impedimenta  can 
be  distributed  over  the  larger  shelf  and  closet  space 
available. 

Heads  of  Departments.  In  a  large  library  with 
departments,  each  of  their  heads  should  have  his  own  lit- 
tle room  or  rooms,  according  to  his  duties  and  the  bulk  of 
his  records,  close  to  the  center  or  edge  of  the  groups  of 
rooms  he  is  to  manage,  with  such  tube  and  telephone 
communication  as  will  place  him  in  close  touch  with 
the  librarian,  with  his  inferiors,  and  with  such  other 
departments  as  he  aids  in  serving. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  241 


Other  Staff  Quarters 

Staff  work  is  divided  by  Bostwick  l  into, — 

Administrative,  which  would  cover  librarian,  his  assist- 
ants, and  heads  of  departments. 

Contact  with  the  public,  including  those  of  advisory, 
educational,  or  disciplinary  duties. 

Clerical,  subordinates  in  offices  and  catalog  depart- 
ments. 

Buying  and  distribution,  including  those  engaged  in 
preparing  and  circulating  books. 

Care  of  Building. 

This  would  indicate  a  group  or  number  of  rooms  for 
each  class,  the  "administrative"  (already  treated)  and 
"buying  and  distribution"  somewhat  clustered,  the 
"clerical"  and  "contact  with  the  public"  distributed 
among  the  others,  and  the  "care  of  building"  generally 
centered  in  the  basement. 

In  addition  to  these  classes  or  groups,  a  general  room 
or  rooms  will  be  needed  in  a  large  library  for  staff  meet- 
ings, staff  lectures  and  staff  training  school.  One  large 
room  should  serve  alternately  for  all  such  purposes, 
especially  if  divided  by  sliding  or  folding  partitions  to 
make  of  it  either  a  large  or  small  room  as  desired. 
Special  audience  or  school  furniture  is  needed  here. 

1  p.  192. 


242  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Public  Waiting  Rooms 

These  are  not  wanted  in  small  libraries,  where  the 
space  left  in  front  of  the  delivery  desk  will  provide  for 
casual  visitors  as  well  as  for  those  waiting  for  books. 

In  large  libraries,  it  is  well  to  provide  a  place  where 
visitors  can  rest  and  have  the  privilege  of  talking,  and 
where  members  of  the  staff  may  see  friends,  if  necessary. 
This  is  best  near  the  main  entrance.  Indeed,  a  vesti- 
bule demanded  by  the  architecture  can  be  utilized  as 
such  a  room,  and  if  it  can  also  be  made  a  show  room 
for  book  rarities  and  curiosities  in  glass  cases,  a  museum 
for  statues,  busts  and  portraits,  and  a  general  porter's 
hall  and  information  office,  it  will  justify  its  existence 
and  relieve  the  working  rooms  in  the  library  of  many 
embarrassments.  Here,  also,  may  be  bestowed  grand 
staircases  and  all  cumbrous  architectural  features  that 
cannot  be  wholly  barred  out. 

Such  very  public  rooms,  as  distinguished  from  what 
might  be  called  service  waiting  rooms  like  the  librarian's 
ante-rooms  and  the  space  left  before  the  delivery  desk 
for  the  applicants  who  have  sent  in  slips  and  are  waiting 
for  their  books  —  are  better  outside  of  the  partitions  of 
the  working  library.  The  latest  plans  for  the  Brooklyn 
central  library  provide,  on  a  triangular  lot,  for  an  apex 
which  seems  to  fill  this  need  and  some  architectural 
features,  without  seriously  infringing  on  working  or  ser- 
vice areas. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  243 


Stenography  Rooms 

Staff.  Besides  the  private  typewriter  of  the  libra- 
rian, there  will  be  others  in  large  libraries  for  heads  of 
departments  (indeed,  wherever  there  used  to  be  a  clerk 
or  secretary,  there  must  now  be  a  machine),  and  a 
number  in  the  catalog  suite,  ranging  up  into  the  tens  or 
twenties,  as  more  or  less  books  are  being  put  through 
various  processes.  These  all  may  be  called  staff 
stenographers. 

Even  in  libraries  of  moderate  size,  where  there  is  a 
possibility  of  gifts  or  other  growth  which  will  require 
special  cataloguing,  it  is  wise  to  leave  room  in  the  cata- 
loguing suite  for  extra  stenographers,  when  suddenly 
wanted. 

Public.  There  is  also  needed  in  large  libraries, 
provision  in  private  study  rooms  for  readers  or  authors, 
and  some  special  rooms  for  public  stenographers  on  call, 
ready  for  extra  staff  or  readers'  demands  for  copying, 
dictation,  or  anything  legitimately  connected  with  the  use 
of  books.  Such  rooms  are  among  those  to  be  placed 
on  mezzanine  floors  or  in  a  special  wing  or  corridor. 
Like  music  rooms,  they  ought  to  be  built  with  sound- 
proof or  sound  deadening  floors,  walls  and  ceiling;  for 
readers  who  are  not  dictating  are  often  and  excusably 
sensitive  about  the  clicking  of  others. 


244  LIBRARY   BUILDING 


Place  for  Catalog  Cases 

This  chapter  covers  the  space  to  be  allowed  in  rooms 
for  the  catalogs  themselves. 

Very  large  libraries  require  whole  rooms  for  cata- 
logs alone,  usually  one  room  for  the  general  card  cata- 
log and  another  for  the  Library  of  Congress  cards. 

In  all  but  very  large  libraries,  card  catalogs  for  the 
staff  and  for  the  public  must  be  provided  for  in  some 
way.  "They  can  be  separate,  but  the  form  most  eco- 
nomical of  space  is  the  double-ender  set  into  the  wall 
between  cataloguer's  room  and  delivery  department,  with 
drawers  which  can  be  pulled  out  from  either  end.  The 
obvious  inconvenience  is  that  they  may  be  wanted  at 
both  ends  at  once.  Notwithstanding  this,  they  are 
much  used,  to  save  space  if  not  labor. 

A  nice  problem  in  planning  is  the  placing  of  card- 
catalog  cases  not  too  far  from  the  delivery  desk,  where 
they  will  not  interfere  with  other  uses,  and  where  they 
will  get  ample  light.  The  most  usual  way  is  to  set  them 
against  partition  walls,  with  space  in  front  for  a  narrow 
table  to  which  drawers  can  be  moved  and  rested  during 
use. 

Another  convenient  arrangement  is  to  make  a  sort  of 
floor  case;  a  wide  table  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  with 
catalog  cases  back  to  back  on  top,  leaving  a  ledge 
on  each  side  and  at  the  ends,  where  the  table  projects. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  245 

Stools  are  used  with  these  rather  than  chairs,  mainly 
because  they  take  up  less  room  and  are  not  used  for  long 
periods. 

The  English  books  speak  of  other  styles  of  catalogs, 
but  we  use  no  other  form  except  (rarely)  different  kinds 
of  printed  catalogs,  which  are  kept  loose  on  tables  or 
desks. 

As  to  floor  space  required  for  catalog  cases,  see  that 
heading  later  on.  Placing  them  is  a  nice  and  critical 
question  of  planning. 

Note  that  a  Library  of  Congress  card-catalog  room 
separate  is  called  for  by  the  Brooklyn  Public  Library.1 

1  See  Appendix. 


246  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Cataloguing  Room 

In  small  libraries,  cataloguing  has  to  be  done  in  the 
librarian's  rooms  or  at  the  delivery  desk.  In  larger 
libraries  one  large  room  or  a  suite  of  rooms  is  needed,  and 
requires  careful  planning  by  an  experienced  librarian. 
Ample  light  is  naturally  the  first  requisite.  North  light 
is  most  regular  and  less  glary,  but  is  somewhat  cold  and 
cheerless.  Large  windows,  or  what  is  practically  one 
window  along  one  side  of  a  room,  the  windows  running 
up  from  the  level  of  the  tables  clear  to  the  ceiling,  are 
best.  The  working  tables  (better  single  or  double  desks 
perpendicular  to  the  windows)  should  occupy  the  win- 
dow side,  with  service  tables  (trestles  will  do)  in  the  next 
space.  Then  floor  cases  for  bibliography  and  books  in 
transit,  also  perpendicular  to  the  light,  and  wall  cases 
beyond  with  a  ledge,  will  conveniently  furnish  the  room. 
If,  as  usual,  the  different  processes  of  handling  books  are 
performed  in  this  room,  not  only  cataloguing  proper, 
but  selection,  ordering,  accessioning,  shelf -listing,  col- 
lation, labelling,  numbering,  and  marking  or  covering, 
must  be  foreseen,  in  due  succession.  A  lift  at  one  end 
from  the  packing  room  should  bring  the  books,  to  fol- 
low the  order  of  work,  over  bins,  or  tables,  or  desks,  or 
shelves,  leading  either  to  the  delivery  desk  or  the  stack. 
One  room  is  often  not  enough  —  a  suite  of  rooms  is  re- 
quired, perhaps  up  and  down  stairs.  (Do  not  be  tempted 
to  use  circular  stairs ;  they  are  criminal ;  see  under  that 
head,  p.  177.)  See  the  John  Hay  Library  plans,  for  a 
central  "stack,"  so  to  speak,  of  such  rooms,  planned 
for  speedy  and  economical  service.1 
1  34  L.  J.  205. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  247 

For  order  of  work,  see  Winsor,1  and  Bostwick  2  who 
enumerates  other  processes.  This  suite  is  a  cosmos  in 
itself,  for  which  no  architect  unadvised  could  possibly 
arrange. 

Even  with  an  expert  librarian  to  advise,  the  local 
librarian  and  the  local  corps  of  cataloguers  ought  to  be 
consulted,  and  their  methods  and  tastes  should  be  heeded. 
An  irritating  incidence  of  light,  an  awkward  stretch  or 
carry  to  the  shelves,  a  clumsy  arrangement  of  desk- 
surfaces  or  window  seats,  might  disconcert  the  best  of 
cataloguers,  and  so  far  spoil  the  building. 

See  view  of  the  cataloguing  room  in  the  Library  of 
Congress,  L.  C.  Report  for  1901,  p.  224. 

1  Pub.  Lib.  1876,  p.  469.  2  p.  193. 


248  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Delivery  Room 

This  is  the  department,  under  our  American  system, 
which  in  all  libraries  should  be  on  the  ground  floor, 
and  as  short  a  distance  as  possible  from  the  front  door. 
In  small  libraries,  it  should  be  the  center  of  the  ground 
floor  space,  where  that  whole  floor,  and  the  top  or  foot 
of  such  stairs  as  there  are,  can  be  supervised  by  one 
attendant.  Miss  Marvin1  locates  it  approximately  as 
12  feet  (minimum)  from  the  door,  16  to  20  feet  "to  the 
rear  shelves,"  but  this  of  course  depends  on  the  size  of 
the  building. 

Oscar  Bluemner2  thinks  that  the  counter,  the  cata- 
log, and  applicants  need  not  take  up  more  than  10  x  15 
feet  in  a  small  library. 

In  somewhat  larger  libraries  the  need  of  central  loca- 
tion holds.  The  book  shelves  are  generally  behind  the 
desk,  one  reading  room  (or  two  sober-reading  rooms)  on 
one  side,  another  (or  two  where  a  certain  amount  of 
stir  and  noise  may  be  expected)  on  the  other.  The  space 
in  front,  from  desk  to  door,  should  be  planned  for  most 
of  the  stir  and  necessary  noise,  except  that  of  open 
shelves.  If  there  is  a  small  vestibule  separated  from  the 
delivery  room  by  a  glass  partition,  drafts  and  dust  will 
be  shut  out,  and  a  space  allowed  for  the  flutter  of  entrance 
and  exit,  leaving  the  space  from  door  to  desk  for  book 
applicants,  querists,  passage  to  other  rooms,  catalog  case, 
bulletins,  waiting,  and  such  other  uses  as  may  be  assigned 
to  it. 

1  p.  10.  2  3  P.  L.  240. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  249 

Champneys l  warns  that  the  space  here  should  be 
calculated  for  the  maximum  use  at  any  time  of  day  or 
evening,  not  for  an  average.  Of  course,  so  noisy  a  room 
cannot  be  reckoned  on  for  any  kind  of  reading,  although 
if  large  enough  such  guides  as  directories,  railway 
time  tables,  local  maps,  etc.,  might  be  used  here  to 
advantage. 

Such  a  delivery  desk  should  not  be  put  in  a  room  in- 
tended for  study  or  quiet  reading,  unless  perhaps  in 
colleges,  where  stir  may  be  expected  as  classes  come  and 
go  every  hour;  but  even  here  the  entrances  and  exits 
should  be  put  where  the  delivery  desk  stir  and  catalog 
use  are  on  one  and  the  same  side,  leaving  the  centre 
and  other  sides  for  readers,  to  be  as  undisturbed  as 
possible. 

In  large  libraries  this  delivery  room  can  have  more 
and  roomier  facilities,  such  as  settees  for  those  waiting 
for  books.  In  the  Providence  Public,  there  is  an  Infor- 
mation desk  on  one  side,  a  Registration  desk  on  the 
other,  near  the  front  door.  It  should  still  be  on  the 
ground  floor  and  not  far  from  the  outside  entrance. 
More  people  flock  here  than  elsewhere,  and  the  less 
tramping  through  corridors  they  do,  the  better  for  them, 
the  readers,  and  for  the  cleanliness  of  the  premises. 
When  other  rooms  or  passages  open  out  of  the  delivery 
room,  a  platform  slightly  raised  for  the  desk  will  aid 
supervision. 

Light.  To  get  a  sufficiently  central  position  for  deliv- 
ery room  and  strong  enough  light  on  desk  and  catalog, 
seems  to  be,  judging  by  inspection  of  libraries  and  plans, 
an  especially  difficult  problem;  but  it  should  not  be 
insoluble  to  a  clever  librarian  and  a  bright  architect. 

The  English  plans  do  not  help  us  much  with  ideas, 
for  their  system  is  herein  different  from  ours.  "Fewer 

1  p.  70. 


250  LIBRARY   BUILDING 

people  go  to  the  lending  department  than  to  the  reading 
room,"  says  Duff-Brown,1  while  with  most  of  our  Ameri- 
can libraries  all  readers  get  to  these  rooms  through  or 
past  the  delivery  room.  And  in  a  "barrier  lending  li- 
brary," as  Champneys  calls  it,  the  counter  is  much 
longer  than  we  use,  even  if  there  is  no  "indicator"  to 
elongate  it. 

As  the  size,  location  and  relative  connections  of  the 
delivery-room  largely  determine  the  convenience  of  the 
whole  building,  the  shape,  capacity  and  practicable- 
ness  of  the  delivery  desk  determine  the  excellence  of 
this  department.  See  p.  348. 

Here  the  practical  and  ingenious  librarian  has  his 
best  chance  in  planning. 

1  p.  95. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  251 


Janitor 

The  janitor  in  any  library  has  important  functions. 
In  the  smallest  he  is  the  only  assistant,  and  can  be  of 
great  service  to  the  lone  librarian  in  service,  supervision 
and  in  substitution  when  she  is  away.  In  a  library  of 
any  size  he  is  housekeeper,  not  only  assisting  in  handling 
books,  but  running  the  heating  and  lighting  systems, 
superintending  or  performing  all  services  of  cleanliness, 
and  often  acting  as  special  policeman  in  preserving  order. 
He  deserves  a  room  of  his  own,  even  if  it  be  a  simple 
one  in  the  basement.  In  large  libraries  he  has  a  small 
residence  suite,  and  is  always  on  the  premises  as  day 
janitor  and  nigh,t  watchman.  See  Bostwick,  p.  284, 
where  he  advises  janitor's  private  residence  in  all  libra- 
ries except  very  small  ones.  But  are  janitor's  families 
always  germane?  I  should  say,  only  in  very  large  libra- 
ries is  it  best  to  provide  a  janitor's  residence  suite  in  the 
building.  But  in  most  libraries  he  has  a  home  else- 
where, with  only  an  office  in  the  library.  In  this  case 
he  needs  for  himself  only  a  table,  tool  bench,  chairs,  a 
closet  for  clothes  and  brooms,  a  box  for  tools,  and  a 
snug  toilet  room. 

Packing  room.  Winsor  1  assigns  this  room  to  the 
basement,  "a  large  hall,  with  raised  platform  in  the 
center  for  superintendent,  with  stalls  about  the  walls 
for  successive  processes,  with  rails  running  past  them 
for  book  trucks."  But  most  of  the  processes  he  describes 
1  P.  L.  1876,  p.  469. 


252  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

are  now  prosecuted  near  the  catalog  room  or  suite. 
The  packing  room  is  located  in  some  convenient  part  of 
the  basement,  directly  under  the  other  administration 
rooms,  with  which  it  has  direct  communication  by  tubes 
and  lifts.  It  should  have  a  separate  door  to  a  carriage- 
way, and  in  large  libraries  can  have  a  package  platform 
and  freight  doors  opening  out  of  it,  for  loading  and 
unloading  boxes  of  books. 

The  uses  assigned  to  this  room  are  generally  packing 
and  unpacking,  central  provisions  for  cleaning,  light 
repairing  of  books  and  furniture,  laying  out  for  binder. 
Its  furniture  can  be  scant  and  simple :  work  tables  or 
trestles  against  any  free  wall  space,  trucks,  an  adjacent 
closet  or  two,  good  windows  on  one  or  two  sides,  for  light 
on  processes,  some  shelves  for  laying  out  books  in  transit. 

Cleaning.  Here  is  a  good  central  place  for  the 
paraphernalia  of  these  operations,  brushes,  pails,  cloths, 
and  the  like,  not  forgetting  closets  for  the  clothes  of 
scrubwoman. 

See  Bostwick  on  Cleaning.1 

1  p.  289. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  253 


Binding  and  Printing 

Bindery.  Every  library  has  to  have  a  lot  of  repair- 
ing and  binding  done.  Is  it  better  to  have  your  own 
plant  on  the  premises  or  to  contract  to  have  it  done 
elsewhere?  E.  R.  N.  Matthews1  says  that  out  of  forty- 
seven  English  libraries  he  inquired  of,  twelve  had  bind- 
eries. He  endorses  the  idea,  having  installed  one  at 
a  new  branch  for  his  own  system,  in  a  separate  building, 
with  plant  he  enumerates,  bought  second  hand  for  ^50. 

In  small  libraries  it  is  easy  to  decide;  nothing  except 
simple  repairing  by  the  janitor  can  be  done  at  home. 
Whatever  has  to  be  done  from  time  to  time  can  be  sent 
out  on  contract.  In  view  of  the  space  taken  up,  the 
bulky  and  noisy  machinery,  the  cost  and  trouble  of 
selecting  and  storing  stock,  the  danger  of  labor  troubles 
and  fires,  and  the  bad  odors  of  glues,  the  ownership  of  a 
bindery  would  naturally  be  put  off  until  it  can  be  proved 
to  be  a  great  economy  in  time  and  money.  Champneys,2 
following  Duff-Brown,3  says  that  "Binderies  are  not  re- 
quired except  in  very  large  libraries."  I  say  from  con- 
siderable business  experience,  save  yourself  cost,  risk 
and  trouble,  by  not  trying  the  experiment. 

If  you  must  have  a  bindery,  a  good  place  for  it  is  the 
basement,  in  or  next  to  the  packing  room,  where  books 
are  being  handled.  Some  authorities  suggest  the  attic, 
but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  quiet  and  top  light  of  the 
upper  floor  make  it  too  valuable  for  finer  purposes,  to  be 
spared  for  such  "base  mechanical  use." 

1  8  Libr.  Asso.  Rec.  p.  73.         2  p.  107.         3  p.  289. 


254  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Every  sizable  library  ought  to  have  at  least  a  bindery 
repair-room  or  nook  for  repair  work  in  the  janitor's  or 
packing  room,  where  one  or  two  skilled  workmen  or 
girls  of  your  own  staff  can  do  light  repairs,  pasting  and 
the  like.  But  this  is  the  limit  of  work  in  the  building 
wisdom  requires  you  to  provide  for. 

See  M.  W.  Straight,  "Repairing  Books."1 

See  E.  R.  N.  Matthews,  "Library  Binderies.''2 

See  H.  T.  Coutts,  "The  Home  Bindery."3 

Printery.  So  with  printing.  Very  large  libraries 
may  have  a  complete  outfit,  but,  as  Bostwick  says,4 
"a  library  of  any  size  may  well  have  a  small  outfit  for 
printing  letter  heads,  envelopes,  cards,  pockets,  book 
plates,  etc."  This  may  be  in  the  same  room  as  the 
bindery  down  below.  If  to  be  installed  for  the  first 
time,  and  the  librarian  has  not  had  personal  experience, 
a  practical  binder  and  printer  should  be  consulted  as  to 
space,  light  and  fittings  required. 

Miss  Marvin  writes  to  me,  "I  have  liked  a  suggestion 
made  by  Mr.  Doyle,  architect  of  the  Portland  (Or.)  Public 
Library.  He  feels  it  a  mistake  to  plan  for  all  admin- 
istrative work  and  storage  of  books  not  frequently  used, 
in  the  central  library,  built  on  expensive  land  with  no 
space  to  spare.  ...  I  have  never  known  a  public 
library  practical  enough  to  build  a  warehouse  on  inex- 
pensive land  near  the  edge  of  a  town  for  the  storage  of 
books,  or  the  receipt  of  books  on  which  clerical  work  is 
to  be  done  before  distribution  to  the  branches.  .  .  . 
These  details  for  school  collections,  traveling  library 
collections,  and  other  clerical  work,  as  well  as  binding, 
repair,  etc.,  had  just  as  well  be  removed  from  the  central 
library,  and  the  space  there  used  for  reading  rooms  and 
necessary  offices." 

1  5  P.  L.  88.  *  9  L.  W.  p.  233. 

2  8  Libr.  Asso.  Rec.  p.  73.  4  p.  219. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  255 

[See  Matthews'  mention  of  a  central  bindery  in  a 
branch  in  England.] 

This  is  worth  considering,  provided  the  need  of 
removal  is  urgent.  There  are  administrative  questions 
to  be  considered,  however,  besides  cost  of  land  or  con- 
struction; such  as  service,  care,  carriage,  etc. 

The  larger  the  building,  and  the  more  stories,  the  more 
opportunity  there  is,  by  exercising  economy  of  space 
and  cleverness  of  arrangement,  to  find  room  there  for 
these  distributing  functions,  which  are  easiest  controlled 
under  central  supervision  and  close  to  the  books. 

One  thing  I  would  never  do  —  consent  to  such  re- 
moval until  every  superfluous  architectural  area,  in 
vestibules,  corridors,  staircases,  etc.,  had  been  eliminated, 
and  the  building  reduced  to  its  lowest  possible  denomi- 
nation for  necessary  central  work. 


256  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Room  for  Service  of  Branches 

In  large  libraries,  room  must  be  provided  for  laying 
out,  shipping  and  receiving  books  for  branches,  deliveries, 
traveling  libraries  and  all  other  kinds  of  outside  activi- 
ties. How  much  space  these  may  require  may  be 
inferred  from  the  fact  that  the  Travelling  Library  office 
of  the  New  York  Public  Library  has  a  stock  of  fifty 
thousand  volumes  and  seventeen  employees. 

It  should  either  have  direct  shipping  doors,  or  should 
open  into  the  packing  room,  with  good  access  to  the 
shipping  facilities  there. 

Besides  tables,  desks  and  shelving  for  the  general 
use  of  superintendent  and  clerks,  with  corner  for  tele- 
phones to  the  branches,  etc.,  and  to  other  departments 
of  the  main  library,  there  will  have  to  be  bins  for  such 
dispatch  service.  As  the  books  come  here  from  the 
stack,  nearness  to  it,  or  some  form  of  mechanical  con- 
nection with  it,  will  save  much  time.  Here,  as  in  so 
many  other  departments  of  every  new  large  library,  is 
opportunity  for  individual  planning. 

See  Winsor,  P.  L.,  1876,  470. 

"  Bostwick,  L.  J.,  1898,  p.  14. 

"  L.  J.,  1898,  Conf.  98,  101. 

"  Cole,  U.  S.  Ed'l  Rept.,  1892-3,  Vol.  1,  p.  709. 

"  Wilson,  R.  E.     P.  L.,  1901,  p.  275. 

"  Duff-Brown,  pp.  350-356. 

"  Sutton,  C.  W.,  6  L.  A.  R.,  67. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  257 


Comfort  Rooms 

Rest  and  Lunch.  In  England  always,  and  oftener 
here  than  formerly,  even  in  small  libraries,  a  room  or 
rooms  are  provided  for  the  relaxation  of  the  staff. 
"Especially  for  women,  humanity  and  a  wise  economy 
prompt  comfortable  rest  rooms,  as  they  are  not  as 
uniformly  in  robust  health,  and  are  more  subject  to 
sudden  indisposition."  —  (Boslwick.1)  In  view  of  the 
good  these  can  do,  in  refreshing  attendants,  and  keeping 
them  in  the  building,  as  well  as  the  fact  that  such  rooms 
can  be  tucked  into  space  not  really  needed  for  anything 
else,  and  also  because  of  the  moderate  expense  of  fitting 
them  up,  it  seems  a  great  pity  to  cut  them  out  of  plans, 
as  I  have  known  building  committees  to  do  from  false 
ideas  of  economy.  A  room  for  rest  and  lunching,  a  tiny 
"kitchenette"  adjoining,  with  gas  stove,  one  room  if 
you  can  for  men,  another  for  women ;  or  in  smaller  libra- 
ries a  common  room  for  a  library  mess,  will  do  a  deal 
toward  infusing  an  esprit  de  corps  into  the  whole  staff. 
A  timely  cup  of  tea  will  soothe  the  nerves  and  stimulate 
the  jaded  to  renewed  vigor.  This  is  so  much  a  matter 
of  housekeeping  that  the  advice  of  the  ladies  of  the  corps 
can  wisely  be  taken  as  to  equipment,  including  store 
closet.  They  can  be  trusted  to  get  everything  needed 
into  little  space,  at  little  cost. 

See  article  in  Public  Libraries2  on  "Comfort  in  a 
Library,"  where  it  is  said  a  room  6x6  can  be  made 
to  serve. 

Wraps.  As  far  as  clothes  are  concerned,  the  staff 
have  got  to  be  given  cleanly  and  satisfactory  places  to 

1  p.  201.  2  Vol.  10,  p.  237. 


258  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

leave  hats,  coats,  umbrellas  and  overshoes  during  work- 
ing hours.  These  should  be  in  the  basement,  or  some 
place  not  so  far  through  corridors  as  to  have  much  track- 
ing of  mud.  If  they  can  be  afforded,  ventilated  wardrobe 
cupboards,  with  a  shelf  above  low  enough  to  hold  the 
prevalent  style  of  ladies'  hats,  a  box  below  for  rubbers, 
and  interval  enough  between  for  a  long  wrap  or  fur 
coat,  should  be  provided  for  each  person;  private  cup- 
boards for  all  private  rooms;  staff  cupboards  in  the 
staff  rest  room,  each  one  with  lock. 

For  the  public,  a  convenient  umbrella  stand  (auto- 
matic locks  will  improve  it),  and  rubber  pigeonholes 
near  the  entrance  will  prevent  dripping  around.  There 
are  various  makeshifts  —  racks  for  hats  under  chairs, 
coat  rails  behind  chairs,  or  at  the  end  of  tables  (see 
Tables,  p.  344,  and  Chairs,  p.  346)  or  hat  racks  in  pas- 
sages, and  the  like.  In  the  larger  libraries,  where  coat 
rooms  become  necessary,  they  can  be  slipped  into 
narrow  rooms  under  staircases  or  in  passages  near  the 
vestibule. 

"Every  reading  room  should  have  hooks  or  trees  for 
coats  and  hats,  and  stands  for  umbrellas."  —Eastman. 

"In  small  libraries  coat  rooms  should  open  from  the 
delivery  room,  overlooked  from  the  desk."  —  Marvin.1 

Lavatory.  Need  of  frequent  wash  bowls  on  all  floors 
has  been  spoken  of  elsewhere.  A  common  lavatory  for 
women  and  a  separate  one  for  men,  open  both  to  public 
and  staff,  is  a  great  convenience,  and  may  render  fewer 
separate  wash  bowls  necessary,  —  a  desideratum  as  far 
as  cost  goes,  for  plumbing  is  a  great  expense,  and  part 
of  planning  is  to  concentrate  and  reduce  to  a  minimum 
"stacks"  of  plumbing.  For  this  reason  water  fixtures 
on  separate  floors  should  be  superimposed  rather  than 
scattered. 

lp.  10. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  259 


Sanitary  Facilities 

These  must  be  furnished  separately  for  men  and 
women  of  the  staff,  but  whether  or  not  they  need  be  pro- 
vided for  the  public  is  a  question  both  here  and  in 
England.  Miss  Marvin  x  is  positive  that  public  toilet 
rooms  are  a  great  nuisance,  and  should  be  omitted 
always,  at  all  events  from  the  main  floor.  Burgoyne  2 
reports  opinion  divided,  but  thinks  them  advisable  where 
a  separate  attendant  can  be  afforded.  Is  it  not  mainly 
a  matter  of  size  and  location?  Large  libraries  must 
provide  them  for  large  throngs;  libraries  of  medium  size 
must  offer  some  refuge  for  serious  readers  who  have  to 
spend  many  hours  over  their  books;  small  local  or 
branch  libraries,  whose  users  live  not  so  far  away,  may 
omit  them.  The  trouble  and  expense  are  against  them, 
convenience  and  health  are  in  their  favor.  If  the  park 
board  or  public  health  authorities  will  provide  them 
somewhere  near,  the  problem  is  solved.  Where  they  can 
be  avoided  in  small  libraries,  and  where  children  throng, 
much  trouble  of  personal  oversight  will  be  saved.  If 
they  must  be  installed,  here  is  certainly  a  problem  to 
be  solved  in  convenience,  separation,  and  casual  super- 
vision of  entrances  and  exits. 

1  p.  15.  2  p.  19. 


260  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Vehicles 

Automobiles  can  be  ranged  at  the  curb  in  front  of 
the  library;  they  lock  or  care  for  themselves.  Hitching- 
posts  in  rural  districts  will  tether  horses.  Bicycles,  not 
so  much  in  evidence  as  they  were  once,  may  be  left  in 
racks  in  front,  or  in  some  place  provided  for  them  in 
lobby,  or  inside  the  rear  entrance  in  the  cellar. 

In  a  large  library,  with  courtyard,  or  even  without, 
an  inclined  approach  to  the  basement  is  possible.  In 
St.  Louis  it  runs  from  one  street  corner,  down  along  a 
side  of  the  building,  then  turns  into  an  open  under- 
ground entrance  to  the  basement.  Such  a  passageway 
takes  from  the  street  the  library's  vehicles  for  branch 
service,  etc.,  and  if  there  is  space  inside,  and  the  sur- 
rounding streets  are  narrow,  it  might  well  give  safety 
for  visitor's  vehicles. 

Duff-Brown  l  thinks  bicycles  are  best  housed  outside. 
Champneys  2  says,  "don't  allow  them  in  corridors." 

In  busy  thoroughfares  of  large  cities,  or,  indeed,  in 
small  cities  in  this  age  of  street  Juggernauts,  provision 
may  well  be  made  for  safe  ingress  and  egress  for  decrepit 
readers  near  the  curbstones.  Some  forethought,  taken 
by  architect  in  conjunction  with  street-car  officials, 
would  land  many  users  in  the  new  building  without 
much  of  the  flurry  and  danger  which  often  hovers  over 
the  approaches. 

1  p.  112.  2  p.  103. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  261 


PART   II 


BOOK  STORAGE 

The  several  rooms  will  be  treated  separately,  also 
different  methods  of  shelving.  The  phrase  "book  rooms" 
is  not  used  herein  as  in  England,  where  book  store  or 
book  room  means  only  book  storage,  as  distinguished 
from  staff  rooms  and  reading  rooms,  but  will  include  all 
kinds  of  shelving,  whether  used  for  book  storage  only  or 
combined  with  handling  and  reading. 

In  an  article  on  Book-storage  by  H.  Woodbine  in 
a  recent  number  of  The  Library  Association  Record,1 
he  states  the  factors  of  past  development  as,  — 

1.  Economy  of  space. 

2.  Economy  of  cost. 

3.  Expansibility. 

4.  Adjustability. 

5.  Safety  from  fire. 

6.  Protection  of  books  (from  pests,  dirt,  damp,  etc.) 

7.  Convenience  in  service. 

It  is  well  to  bear  all  these  in  mind  when  planning  any 
library,  though  I  should  put  the  last  first,  and  add 
cleanliness.  They  would  serve  as  comprehensive  tests 
of  all  kinds  of  shelving,  wooden  or  metal;  wall,  floor,  or 
stack.  They  are  such  important  details  in  library  service 
that  I  will  take  up  the  different  forms  of  shelving  in 
considerable  detail. 

1  Vol.  12,  p.  453. 


262  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Shelving,  Generally 

General  rules  in  shelving  are:  (1)  No  book  should  be 
above  reach  of  hand  from  floor.  This  means  about  6^ 
feet  (less  in  children's  rooms)  or  73/2  feet  to  cornice,  or 
top  of  top  space.  Don't  use  steps  or  ladders,  they  are 
obstructive  and  troublesome  to  use. 

(2)  Uprights  should  not  be  more  than  three  feet  apart, 
to  avoid  sagging,  and  weight  in  handling.     Somewhat 
less  is  sometimes  advised,  never  more. 

(3)  All  shelves  should  be  of  the  same  measurements 
and    interchangeable,  for  obvious    reasons,   throughout 
the  library.     Unadvised  architects  are  apt  to  fill  nooks 
and  spaces  with  shelving  to  suit.     This  may  not  be  so 
objectionable  in  fixed  shelving,  but  is  fatal  with  movable 
shelves. 

(4)  Shelving  should  be  movable  as  well  as  adjustable. 
Private  libraries  and  very  small  libraries  can  get  along 
for  a  while  with  fixed  shelving,  but  when  books  of  differ- 
ent sizes  accumulate,  and  close  classification  is  adopted, 
movable  shelving  is  necessary. 

(5)  Edges  and  corners  of  shelves  and  supports  should 
be   rounded.     If   hands   or   books   strike   sharp    edges 
roughly,  they  suffer. 

(6)  There  should  be  no  projections  to  catch  clothing. 
Watch  this,  especially  in  stacks. 

(7)  In  shelving  or  supports,  do  not  leave  projections 
to  catch  dust.     This  is  often  a  fault  of  carved  end- 
uprights. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  263 

(8)  Have  both  upper  and  lower  shelves  accessible  and 
well   lighted   for   easy   inspection.     Wherever   there   is 
ample  room,  use  of  only  the  breast-high  shelves  is  more 
convenient  both  for  inspection  and  for  handling. 

(9)  The  old-fashioned  ledge  is  not  needed,  except  in  a 
few  instances.     It  unnecessarily  widens  the  aisle  above, 
interfering    with    close    storage.     Wide    books    can    be 
stored   elsewhere;    and   space   to   lay   books   down   in 
handling  can  be  provided  near  by. 

(10)  The   average  dimensions   of   shelves1   are   well 
settled  by  custom;  e.g.,  Length  (as  above),  not  over  three 
feet;    Depth,   eight  inches,   except  for  special   sizes   of 
books  (see  later) :      Thickness,    for  wooden  shelves,   % 
inch  finished,  (1  inch  stuff,  planed);     Interval,  wood  or 
metal  10  inches  (11  inches  top  to  top  of  wooden  shelves) 
for  octavos  and  duodecimos,  though  one  advantage  of 
movable  shelves  is  the  possibility  of  variation  if  desired 
anywhere. 

(11)  No  doors  of  any  kind  are  used  in  modern  library 
bookcases,  except  where  dust  is  to  be  excluded  from 
delicate  books,   or  thieves  are  to  be  excluded  from  rare 
books.     Doors  are  an  impediment  to  use. 

Shelf -bases.  To  save  books  in  sweeping,  a  four- 
inch  solid  base  is  usually  provided  in  all  kinds  of 
shelving.  In  unusually  high  shelves,  this  base  projects 
as  a  step,  but  it  is  unsightly  thus,  and  just  so  much  as  it 
projects  it  narrows  the  aisles  and  promotes  stumbling. 

See  Fletcher,  Public  Libraries.2 

Fixed  or  Movable.  As  stated  above,  fixed  shelving 
is  somewhat  cheaper  and  more  easily  made,  and  will 
serve  well  in  very  small  libraries.  In  setting  up  movable 
shelving  a  row  of  shallow  holes  an  inch  apart  is  bored  an 
inch  from  the  front  and  from  the  rear  edge  of  the  inside 
uprights.  To  support  the  shelves,  projecting  pegs  of 

1  See  elaborate  article  by  Dewey,  2  Lib.  Notes,  p.  100.      2  pp.  49,  50. 


264  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

various  kinds  are  inserted  in  these  holes  at  any  desired 
intervals.  There  are  several  patents,  the  most  popular 
one  being  a  metallic  pin  with  shoulder,  which  may  be 
turned  over  for  slight  alteration  of  interval.  Plain  pic- 
ture screw-eyes,  with  the  eyes  turned  flat,  are  favorites 
in  some  libraries,  and  are  cheap.  Accuracy  is  necessary 
in  boring  the  holes,  and  experiments  are  advisable  as  to 
the  fit  and  steadiness  of  the  pins,  so  that  the  shelves  will 
not  be  liable  to  tip  or  fall. 

Wood  or  Metal.  In  small  libraries  there  is  no  need 
at  all  of  metallic  cases  or  shelving  and  it  is  absurdly 
wasteful  to  buy  them  too  soon.  Wooden  shelving  is 
cheaper,  easier  put  up  by  local  builders,  and  though  it 
may  occupy  a  trifle  more  space,  is  serviceable  and  strong 
enough  until  superimposed  stories  of  shelving  become 
necessary.  Even  two  stories  of  wood  can  be  easily 
managed.  If  you  want  more  than  two  stories  to  use  as  a 
stack,  you  must  have  iron  or  steel.  There  are,  of 
course,  many  advantages  in  metal  when  you  have  to 
come  to  it,  though  it  is  more  costly.  It  saves  a  certain 
amount  of  space;  it  does  not  obstruct  light  or  ventila- 
tion so  much  as  thicker  material;  it  is  more  fireproof; 
shelves  are  more  easily  moved. 

Metal  in  stacks  is  universal  in  larger  libraries  in 
America,  so  is  wood  in  small  libraries.  In  England 
wood  seems  much  more  used  in  large  libraries  than 
with  us. 

Hard  wood  is  not  necessary  for  shelving,  the  cheaper 
kinds  of  soft  wood  will  do,  and  are  easier  set.  No  back- 
ing is  necessary  in  any  form  of  book  case,  except 
as  a  brace,  or  for  appearance,  or  against  a  brick  or 
stone  wall. 

"Use  no  paint,  but  varnish  and  rub  thoroughly." 
—  Poole.1 

1  P.  L.  1876,  487. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  265 

"Few  village  libraries  need  spend  money  for  steel 
shelving.  It  costs  twice  as  much  as  oak;  four  or  five 
times  as  much  as  some  woods.  Wooden  cases  are  mov- 
able, steel  not;  with  wood  you  can  shift  and  add.  You 
would  not  prefer  steel  in  your.  home.  .  .  .  For  libraries 
of  less  than  30,000  volumes,  wood  is  better."  —Eastman.1 

In  planning  small  buildings  do  not  let  manufacturers 
lead  you  into  the  expense  of  putting  in  metallic  shelving 
or  fixtures.  Wood  answers  every  need  as  well,  and 
often  better,  and  is  much  cheaper.  Miss  Marvin  says,2 
"No  stack  should  be  included  in  a  building  costing  under 
$20,000."  I  should  put  the  limit  higher,  and  say  "No 
metallic  stack  is  either  necessary  or  desirable  while 
wooden  wall  shelving  and  floor  shelving  will  hold  the 
books  in  the  library." 

Ledges.  In  the  early  wooden  shelving  for  libraries, 
ledges,  "counter  ledges,"  so  called  from  their  being  the 
height  of  an  ordinary  "counter,"  were  considered  essen- 
tial. Dewey3  says:  "These  have  a  double  use.  They 
give  a  greatly  needed  shelf  on  which  readers  may  lay 
books  for  consultation  or  while  reaching  others,  and  for 
the  pages  in  getting  and  putting  back  books." 

These  ledges  do  not  appear  so  much  now  in  floor- 
cases  or  stacks.  They  still  survive,  however,  in  wall- 
shelving. 

But  they  served  serious  needs  in  handling  books  and 
have  been  seriously  missed  since  they  disappeared  from 
use.  See  an  article  on  a  proposed  substitute  in  stacks, 
under  the  title  "Carrel,"  p.  286,  later.  This  feature  might 
also  be  used  with  wooden  floor-cases  when  lighted  by 
"true  stack  windows." 

Labels,  Pins,  see  articles  in  Library  Notes.4 

1  26  L.  J.  Conf.  42.  3  2  Library  Notes,  pp.  107  (cut),  117. 

2  p.  9.  4  Vol.  1,  pp.  132,  134. 


266  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Head-room.  It  is  best  not  to  build  floor-shelving, 
even  in  low  rooms,  quite  up  to  the  ceiling,  but  to  leave 
some  room  over  the  tops  of  the  books  on  the  top  shelf 
for  free  ventilation.  But  Dewey  said  at  the  1887  Con- 
ference,1 "Why  not  leave  it  out  —  use  all  space  for 
shelving,  with  artificial  ventilation?"  This  might  apply 
to  the  head-room  usually  left  at  the  top  of  stack  rooms. 
But  how  about  heat?  And  in  most  libraries  there  is  no 
effective  artificial  ventilation  or  forced  draft.  And  in 
many  rooms  outside  the  stack,  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  shelve  quite  up  to  the  roof. 


Shelves  High  or  Low.  The  rule  is,  as  stated, 
feet  in  height.  In  many  old  libraries,  and  in  a  few  newer 
ones,  higher  cases  are  used,  in  order  not  to  waste  upper 
space  in  a  high  room,  wherever  this  space  is  not 
needed  for  ventilation  or  diffused  light.  This  is  very 
unfortunate  in  inspecting  or  handling  the  books.  To 
overcome  the  difficulty  of  seeing  and  getting  at  the 
highest  shelves,  various  forms  of  steps  or  step  ladders, 
or  base  steps  and  high  handles  on  the  uprights  are  in  use 
which  can  be  investigated  and  adopted  when  occasion  re- 
quires, as  it  never  should  arise  in  a  new  building.  If  such 
shelving  is  inherited,  or  must  be  used,  it  would  be  best 
to  use  these  shelves,  too  high  to  reach  by  hand,  for 
storing  sets  of  books  or  magazines  rarely  wanted.  Or 
a  gallery  can  be  built  half  way  up  to  avoid  the  awkward 
use  of  ladders. 

As  books  to  be  inspected  are  best  nearly  opposite  the 
eye  of  a  reader  standing  or  sitting,  live  books  would 
better  not  be  stored  on  lower  shelves  in  any  open- 
access  cases.  These  shelves  nearest  the  floor  might  be 
used,  therefore,  for  similar  sets  not  often  needed. 

Miss  Marvin1  advises  uniform  height  for  wall-shelving 
all  over  the  building. 

1  p.  16. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  267 

Low  bookcases,  "dwarf  bookcases,"  both  in  wall- 
shelving  or  floor  cases,  are  often  used,  for  different  rea- 
sons, especially  to  serve  as  partitions,  and  have  not  the 
disadvantages  of  cases  too  high.  In  floor-cases,  the  top 
can  be  used  as  a  convenient  ledge.  In  this  form,  low 
cases  can  be  set  anywhere  on  the  floor  without  seriously 
obstructing  light,  ventilation,  or  supervision,  and  low 
cases  can  be  used  against  the  wall  when  high-set  windows 
are  needed  to  throw  light  further  across  a  room. 

Unusual  Shapes  or  Sizes  of  Books.  Minimos, 
(sizes  under  the  ordinary  duodecimos)  are  so  unusual 
that  they  can  be  shelved  at  the  ordinary  intervals; 
and  if  a  set  or  lot  of  such  small  books  come  together, 
movable  shelves  can  be  closed  together,  without  much 
waste  of  depth  (or  by  doubling  back,  with  no  waste). 

Folios  and  quartos  occur  in  all  libraries,  in  the  smallest 
as  books  of  reference,  like  dictionaries  and  atlases;  in 
larger  libraries  they  may  come  anywhere.  Formerly, 
the  lower  shelves  in  all  cases  were  made  wider,  with  a 
ledge  above,  but  this  made  the  aisles  so  much  wider 
than  was  necessary  for  shoulder  room  above,  that  ledges 
are  not  now  much  used  in  floor-shelving  or  stacks. 
Instead,  special  shelving  is  provided  not  far  off  on  each 
floor,  and  slips  or  dummies  put  on  the  shelves  to  indicate 
where  the  larger  volumes  ought  to  come  in  the  regular 
classification,  and  where  they  can  be  found  when  wanted. 

This  special  shelving  is  often  put  along  the  walls, 
but  in  late  stacks  I  have  found  it  convenient  at  both 
ends  of  each  story.  The  necessary  ledge  can  be  widened 
without  much  sacrifice  of  space,  into  a  shelf  at  table 
height,  which  can  be  put  to  many  purposes,  part  of  it 
at  one  end  being  cut  into  to  give  room  for  the  stack 
stairs,  which  usually  rob  either  books  or  users  of  more 
room  elsewhere.  In  other  rooms,  with  wooden  shelving, 
there  is  almost  always  a  convenient  recess  or  end,  where 


268  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

quarto  and  folio  shelving  can  be  put  without  crowding  the 
other  cases.  Indeed,  when  designing  a  library  building, 
one  thing  to  watch  for  is,  where  such  shelving  can  be 
stowed  away  near  at  hand,  with  the  most  economy  of 
space.  In  floor-cases,  wooden  or  metal,  occasional 
large  books  can  be  laid  across  two  adjoining  shelves. 

As  to  dimensions,  Mr.  Poole's  recommendations  in 
1876  *  still  hold  good:  a  ledge  about  34  inches  high,  with 
two  shelves  below,  18  and  16  inches  high  for  folios,  16  inches 
deep,  and  as  many  shelves  as  the  case  will  allow  above, 
12  inches  high  and  10J/2  inches  deep.  Burgoyne  says,2 
21  inches  high  for  folios,  13  high  for  quartos.  These  are 
extreme.  Dewey  recommends  12  x  10  inches  for  quartos; 
for  folios  just  double  octavo  measurement;  large  folios 
to  be  laid  on  their  sides.3 

If  movable  shelving  is  installed,  it  will  be  possible 
to  shelve  the  exceptional  books  upright  or  flat,  as  their 
size  and  character  requires. 

Burgoyne4  advises  padding  flat  folio  shelves.  The 
British  Museum  uses  cowhide;  other  libraries,  canton 
flannel  (bad)  with  falls. 

Elephant  folios  will  require  special  roller  shelves. 

1  P.  L.  1876,  p.  487.  3  2  Lib.  Notes  105. 

2  p.  42.  « p.  50. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  269 


Shelves  in  Reading  Rooms 

"The  books  most  used  should  be  stored  around  the 
walls  of  the  reading-rooms." — (Miss  Marvin.1)  This  has 
been  a  common  custom,  but  Mr.  Dana  has  suggested 
that  such  shelving  is  out  of  place  in  reading-rooms. 
So  H.  T.  Hare,  in  8  The  Lib.  Asso.  Record:2  "The  placing 
of  books  around  the  walls  wastes  floor  space  otherwise 
available  for  readers."  In  this  opinion  I  concur,3  for  the 
double  reason  that  it  bars  out  just  so  many  readers, 
and  also  it  necessitates  movement  which  interferes  with 
serious  reading.  As  to  the  former  objection,  take  a 
room  30  x  40  with  a  perimeter  of  140  feet,  less  say  10 
feet  for  doors,  130  feet  net.  If  this  is  shelved  all  around, 
the  shelving  with  the  usual  ledge,  and  the  three  feet  space 
in  front  of  it  needed  for  access,  inspection  and  passing, 
four  feet  in  all,  will  take  up  456  square  feet,  out  of  a 
total  area  of  1200,  nearly  two-fifths.  Without  the  wall 
shelving,  the  room  would  hold  tables  for  that  many  more 
readers  —  the  use  for  which  it  is  intended.  As  to  the 
latter  consideration,  to  get  at  the  books  every  attend- 
ant fetching  or  returning  or  cleaning  them,  every  reader 
consulting  them,  has  to  pass  before  or  beside  or  close 
back  of  some  other  reader  who  is  trying  to  abstract 
himself  at  a  desk.  If  stored  somewhere  else  in  floor 
shelving  or  in  a  stack  close  by,  the  books  would  not 
take  up  more  space,  would  be  more  accessible,  and  less 
in  the  way. 

1  p.  12.  2  p.  151.  3 14  P.  L.  134. 


270  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

If  a  serious  reading  room  can  open  directly  into  an 
open-shelf  floor  of  a  stack,  no  wall-shelving  will  be 
necessary. 

The  second  objection  would,  of  course,  not  apply  so 
much  to  rooms  for  light  reading  where  more  or  less 
motion  and  noise  are  expected,  and  less  serious  study 
is  usual. 

Class  and  Study  Rooms.  Here  wall-shelving  for 
reference  books  permanently  or  class  books  temporarily 
required,  and  sometimes  floor  shelving  also,  or  a  com- 
bination of  wall-shelving  with  occasional  projecting 
cases,  like  shallow  alcoves,  opposite  good  light,  will  be 
required.  The  purpose  of  each  room  defines  its  needs  in 
arrangement  and  shelving,  as  also  in  staff-rooms  and 
all  special  rooms.  In  libraries  of  sufficient  size,  each 
such  room  should  have  telephone  connection  with  the 
staff,  and  if  possible  separate  lifts  or  corridor  railway 
service. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  271 


Wall-Shelving 

The  earliest  book  storage  was  in  cupboards  or  alcoves, 
the  latest  is  in  floor  cases,  but  the  persistent  form  between 
and  even  now  is  that  of  shelving  around  the  walls  of 
rooms.  Mr.  Dana  and  I  object  to  it  around  reading 
rooms,  but  it  now  prevails,  and  perhaps  it  will  still 
prevail  even  there.  Certainly  it  will  always  be  service- 
able in  most  of  the  rooms  of  a  small  or  large  library. 
It  was  formerly  continued  even  in  combination  with 
floor-cases  or  stacks,  but  it  is  vanishing  from  such  book 
rooms  to  maintain  its  position  sturdily  wherever  floors 
are  not  for  shelves,  but  for  tables. 

In  this  form,  the  old-fashioned  shelf-ledge  survives, 
with  folio  or  quarto  shelving,  or  sometimes  cupboards 
or  bins  below,  and  narrower  octavo  shelving  above. 
The  ledge  is  found  serviceable  in  temporary  examination 
of  books  and  for  resting  them  in  transit. 

"Every  available  foot  of  wall  space  should  be  utilized 
for  shelving,  between  the  windows  and  under  the 
windows."  —  Marvin. l  [But  not  unless  light  comes 
from  the  other  side.  See  below.  And  where  there  is 
steam  heat,  the  space  under  the  windows  is  best  for 
radiators. 

Wall-shelving  ought  always  to  be  opposite  and  not 
next  to  windows,  because  direct  light  in  the  eyes  blinds 
the  reader  so  that  he  cannot  distinguish  the  books. 
But  if  light  comes  from  both  sides  of  the  room,  both 
sides  can  have  wall  cases. 


272  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Closed  Cases.  In  private  libraries  and  in  some  rare 
book  collections  in  public  libraries,  book-cases  have  locked 
sliding  doors,  either  glazed  or  with  strong  wire  mesh 
(for  ventilation),  too  small  a  mesh  to  slip  books  through. 

It  is  better  to  back  wall-shelving  with  wood  whenever 
placed  against  brick  or  stone  walls,  to  protect  the  books 
from  damp  and  stain. 

I  have  known  buildings  where  the  architect  put  a 
dado  of  expensive  wood  around  rooms  where  wall-shelv- 
ing was  to  be  put  up  at  once  or  was  sure  to  come  soon. 
This  was,  of  course,  a  willful  waste,  as  plain  sheathing, 
to  serve  as  a  back  for  the  shelving,  would  have  been  far 
better. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  273 


Floor- Cases 

Floor-cases,  as  we  use  them,  first  appeared  apparently 
in  Leyden  about  A.D.  1600.1  Their  use  in  America  can 
be  traced  to  the  pressure  for  space  in  the  old  libraries, 
just  before  the  birth  of  the  stack,  which  is  only  floor- 
cases  built  up  into  stories.  As  the  term  "floor-case"  is 
used,  it  covers  all  bookcases  set  out  from  the  wall  across 
the  floors,  usually  in  parallel  rows  perpendicular  to  the 
windows,  but  sometimes  radial  or  irregular.  The  cases 
are  always  double,  back  to  back,  their  dimensions  in 
each  front  being  just  those  of  wall-cases.  The  backs 
are  usually  open  for  light  and  ventilation,  but  are  some- 
times wired  or  wainscoted  with  wood.  If  backs  are 
not  used  in  floor-cases,  some  bracing  is  needed  to  make 
them  rigid.  The  aisles  between  vary  in  width  from 
three  feet  for  service  to  six  feet  for  open  access,  though 
service  is  possible  in  narrower  spaces  then  three  feet,  and 
open  access,  with  good  light,  does  not  absolutely  require 
six.  It  is  recommended  by  the  authorities  that  cases 
should  not  exceed  fifteen  feet  in  length.  Whenever  longer 
rows  are  wanted,  cross  aisles  at  about  that  interval 
should  interrupt,  so  that  an  attendant  or  reader  should 
not  have  to  walk  too  far  if  he  needs  to  get  quickly  to  the 
other  side  of  a  case. 

1  Fletcher,  p.  10.     Clark,  p.  170. 


274  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Radial  Cases 

"In  small  libraries  and  branches,  supervision  is 
ensured  by  placing  floor-cases  as  radii  of  a  semi-circle 
whose  centre  is  the  desk."  — Bostwick.1 

Duff-Brown 2  says  that  this  method  of  shelving 
secures  oversight  and  ease  of  working. 

The  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  this  arrange- 
ment are  well  summed  up  by  Eastman,3  who  thinks  it 
of  doubtful  value. 

In  small  libraries,  when  set  symmetrically  in  a  true 
semi-circle,  radial  or  concentric  cases  certainly  have  a 
pleasing  effect.  The  building  costs  more,  either  in  semi- 
circular or  octagonal  form,  than  in  rectangular  (more 
in  stone  or  brick  than  in  wood),  and  there  is  certainly 
waste  of  space  in  the  widening  of  the  wedge-shaped 
intervals,  which,  however,  can  be  partially  utilized  by 
tables  or  short  intervening  floor-cases  at  their  widest 
part. 

This  radial  shelving  has  invariably,  I  believe,  been 
built  on  the  rear  of  the  building.  In  many  lots  it  has 
occurred  to  me  that  putting  it  in  front,  or  on  one  side 
toward  a  street,  could  be  made  an  agreeable  feature,  and 
would  do  more  than  any  other  thing  could  do  toward 
attracting  passers-by,  and  thus  "advertising"  the 
library  far  more  effectively  than  many  publicity  schemes 
recently  suggested. 

1  p.  279.  2  p.  94.  » 26  L.  J.  Conf.  42. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  275 

As  to  supervision,  I  have  seen  in  a  recent  discussion 
the  reminder  that  one  person  blocks  the  narrow  end 
toward  the  desk,  and  effectively  hides  disorder,  muti- 
lation, or  theft  beyond. 

Sometimes  the  projection  from  the  building  is  rectangu- 
lar, and  the  shelving  concentric,  an  arrangement  likely 
to  cast  shadows.  In  some  American  libraries  long  rows 
of  slanting  floor-cases ,  not  true  radii,  point  toward  the 
desk.  So  good  a  librarian  as  Mr.  Well  man  of  Spring- 
field, has  adopted  this  airangement  in  a  large  rectangular 
room.  See  also  the  Law  Library  at  Rochester,  N.  Y. 
But  does  not  this  arrangment  block  light  rather  than 
facilitate  its  penetration  into  the  room  to  the  lowest 
shelves?  I  should  doubt  whether  the  advantage  in 
supervision  would  counterbalance  this  interference  and 
the  waste  of  space.  Champneys  1  (an  architect)  thinks 
there  may  be  danger  of  "overestimating  police  methods." 
It  seems  to  me  that  in  sizeable  rectangular  rooms,  super- 
vised entiance  and  exit  at  the  desk,  with  rectangular 
arrangement  of  the  shelves  either  perpendicular  to  the 
deskline  or  even  athwart  the  room,  thus  trusting  the 
public,  would  be  better. 

In  small  libraries,  as  in  branches,  this  arrangement 
is  worth  considering,  but  should  not  be  adopted,  it  seems 
to  me,  without  very  careful  balancing  of  arguments  pro 
and  con.  Economy  in  construction  and  space  and  diffi- 
culties in  enlargement  are  against;  many  considerations 
of  cheerfulness  and  usefulness  are  in  its  favor.  Where 
the  library  is  so  small,  however,  that  only  three  or 
four  floor-cases  will  hold  all  its  stock  of  books,  these  in 
a  rectangular  projection  back  of  the  desk,  will  give 
most  of  the  effect  of  the  radial  form,  rather  cheaper. 

Librarians  who  have  operated  both  forms  could  give 
points  to  any  one  in  doubt,  and  many  floor  plans,  Eng- 

xp.  64. 


276  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

lish  as  well  as  American,  with  many  interior  views,  are 
accessible  to  show  different  arrangements. 

If  adopted,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  semi-circular  plan 
with  true  radii,  is  better  than  the  octagonal  or  rectangular 
walls,  with  obliquely  placed  floor  cases.  These  may  be 
arranged  for  good  supervision,  but  their  slant  disturbs 
one's  sense  of  symmetry.  Besides,  the  basement  beneath 
may  be  devoted  to  a  class  or  lecture  room,  for  which 
such  a  semi-circular  shape  gives  good  light  and  cheerful 
effect. 

The  semi-circular  plan  has  been  adopted  for  alcove 
rooms  in  many  places,  such  as  the  Library  of  Parliament 
at  Ottawa,  Princeton  University,  and  so  on,  but  these 
do  not  have  radiating  cases  and  need  not  be  discussed 
here. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  277 


Shelf  Capacity 

To  calculate  shelf  capacity,  it  has  been  usual  to  take 
ten  volumes  to  a  running  foot,  a  figure  which  has  been 
verified  in  some  libraries.  But  books  vary  in  thickness 
in  different  kinds  of  literature,  and  the  exigencies  of 
growth  require  gaps  to  be  left  in  closely-classified 
libraries,  at  the  end  of  each  subject.  These  facts  have 
tended  to  vary  estimates,  which  do  not  now  agree. 
In  "Library  Rooms  and  Building,"  I  said,1  "For  these 
reasons,  it  is  prudent  to  calculate  about  eight  volumes 
to  a  foot  for  octavos  and  under,  and  still  less,  say  five 
volumes  to  the  foot,  for  reference  books,  law  books, 
medical  books,  and'  other  bulky  literature."  I  have 
seen  no  reason  since  to  change  these  figures  for  estimates, 
though  planners  should  bear  in  mind  the  different  classes 
and  sizes  of  books  to  be  stored  in  each  room  or  on  each 
case. 

The  English  authorities  still  set  the  average  number 
of  volumes  to  a  linear  shelf  foot  rather  higher,  eight  and 
a  half  to  nine  and  a  half  for  lending  libraries  or  fiction 
shelves.  See  also,  "Stack  Capacity." 

1  A.  L.  A.  Tract  No.  4,  p.  16. 


278  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


The  Poole  Plan 

This  seems  to  be  the  best  place  to  allude  to  the  scheme 
which  Dr.  Poole  proposed  as  an  alternative  of  the  stack. 
As  Fletcher  says,  the  principal  objection  to  the  stack 
plan  was  as  to  opportunities  for  readers  to  get  at  the 
books  on  the  shelves.  To  place  readers  and  books  in 
close  contact,  Dr.  Poole  proposed  dividing  a  building 
mainly  into  large  rooms,  in  each  of  which  readers  should 
have  tables  near  the  windows,  while  opposite  the  windows 
the  inner  portion  of  the  room  should  have  floor-cases 
filled  with  some  special  class  of  books.  He  got  the  chance 
to  embody  this  idea  in  the  building  of  the  Newberry 
Library  of  Chicago.  As  far  as  I  know  this  plan  has  not 
been  adopted  elsewhere  as  a  whole,  but  every  large 
library  since  built  has  included  rooms  arranged  more  or 
less  on  this  plan,  which  is  indeed  the  idea  of  the  depart- 
ment library  in  a  college;  or  special  rooms,  such  as  Art 
and  Patents,  in  a  public  library.  So  far  as  Dr.  Poole 
advocated  his  plan  he  furthered  library  efficiency  and 
should  deserve  credit  and  remembrance. 

"  In  the  Providence  Public  Library,  for  instance,  two- 
fifths  of  the  books  are  shelved  outside  of  the  stack."  — 
Foster.1 

But  the  stack  plan  has  "won  out"  as  a  system,  and 
has  established  itself  as  a  factor  in  modern  American 
library  building.  Further  changes,  developments  and 

1  23  L.  J.  Conf.  17. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  279 

improvements  are  doubtless  coming,  but  so  far  as 
administration  and  architecture  are  concerned,  the 
stack  must  be  reckoned  as  the  distinctive  difference 
between  libraries  and  other  buildings. 

See  description  and  criticism  of  the  Poole  plan,  with 
vindication  of  the  stack  system,  in  B.  R.  Green's  article 
in  the  Library  Journal.1 

Dr.  Poole  was  a  sturdy  fighter  in  his  day,  but  he 
was  an  excellent,  practical  librarian.  If  he  had  lived 
to  see  the  stack  as  now  improved,  and  had  also  seen 
its  combination  with  the  department  library  or  special 
library  in  large  buildings,  I  think  he  would  have  con- 
ceded the  merits  of  the  new  system. 
1  Vol.  25,  p.  680. 


280  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Stacks 

Generally.  These  have  been  adopted  in  this  country, 
in  nearly  all  libraries  which  have  got  beyond  the  size 
where  floor  cases  will  serve.  They  come  into  use  with 
us  much  earlier  in  the  growth  of  a  library  than  in 
England,  where  they  seem  not  so  much  in  favor. 

The  notion  of  the  stack  was  first  suggested  by  the 
modern  revival  in  America,  about  1850,  of  the  floor-case 
system,  exemplified  two  hundred  years  before  in  the 
Leyden  University  Library.  The  first  modern  mention 
of  this  system  I  can  find  is  Winsor's  description  (1876)1 
of  the  arrangement  of  his  new  Roxbury  branch  of  the 
Boston  Public  Library.  In  his  description  of  the  floor- 
cases,  then  only  floor-cases,  he  suggested  the  idea  of 
providing  for  growth  another  story  of  superincumbent 
cases,  apparently  of  wood,  with  "dumb-waiters,"  and 
"spiral  stairs."  In  1877,  Winsor  outlined  plans  for  a 
similar  shelving  of  several  stories  with  iron  framework 
and  iron  floors.2  About  this  time  (Winsor  left  the 
Boston  Public  Library  and  went  to  Harvard  as  librarian 
in  1877),  the  first  metallic  stack  (with  wooden  shelves) 
was  developed  and  installed  in  the  addition  to  the 
Harvard  library  building.  The  idea  seems  due  to 
Winsor,  the  practical  embodiment  of  it  in  full  stack  form 
to  the  architects  Ware  and  Van  Brunt.  The  latter 
described  it  soon  after  in  the  Library  Journal,3  saying, 
"I  am  in  part  responsible  for  it." 

1  P.  L.  1876,  p.  467.  2  2  L.  J.  31.  *  4  L.  J.  295. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  281 

This  pregnant  idea,  which,  as  developed,  has  done 
more  to  change  library  administration  and  library  archi- 
tecture than  any  other  device,  was  evidently  born  in 
the  brains  of  a  librarian  as  a  result  of  his  thought  and 
experiments,  and  developed  into  practicability  by  good 
architects,  as  all  great  problems  of  library  building 
should  be  worked  out.  The  original  stack  contained  all 
essential  ideas,  but  great  improvements  in  details  have 
since  then  been  effected  by  librarians,  architects,  and 
constructors. 

Stacks  were  at  first  stout  ly  opposed  by  many  librarians. 
As  described  by  Fletcher,1  "The  stack,  as  usually  built, 
consists  of  a  series  of  iron  bookcases  [floor  cases]  running 
from  bottom  to  top  of  a  high  room  divided  at  intervals 
of  about  seven  feet  [7^]  by  light  [iron]  openwork  or 
glass  floors  [decks].  The  slack  undoubtedly  offers  the 
most  compact  storage  of  books  with  great  ease  of  access 
to  every  part."  He  then  enumerates  the  objections  to 
the  stack,  the  principal  of  which  he  thinks  is,  "little  or 
no  provision  can  be  made  for  the  access  of  readers  to 
the  shelves,  the  idea  of  the  stack  being  that  of  a  place  to 
keep  the  books  when  not  in  use." 

Since  the  first  stack  was  installed  at  Harvard,  remark- 
ably serviceable  even  then  as  a  new  idea,  some  of  our 
most  inventive  genius  has  been  constantly  at  work  in 
trying  to  perfect  the  advantages  of  the  system,  and  over- 
come its  acknowledged  defects.  Construction,  ventila- 
tion, heating,  lighting,  communications,  ease  of  operation, 
have  been  gradually  improved,  and  recently  Dr.  Poole's 
and  Mr.  Fletcher's  principal  objection,  difficulty  of  use 
by  readers,  has  been  so  greatly  overcome  that  a  later 
chapter  has  been  devoted  to  this  subject.  There  are 
several  good  patent  stacks  in  the  market,  which 
deserve  study  and  a  chance  to  submit  bids  in  every  new 
building  project,  large  or  small. 

1  p.  41. 


282  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  best  method  of  planning  is  for  the  librarian  to 
calculate  how  many  volumes  he  will  have  to  provide  for, 
and  how  large  a  stack  he  needs  (floor  area,  and  number 
of  "decks") ;  to  lay  out,  with  the  assistance  of  the  archi- 
tect, a  floor  plan  for  one  story,  with  the  number  and  width 
of  gangways  he  wants,  and  a  specification  of  stairways, 
lifts,  folio-shelving,  and  other  peculiarities. 

It  is  better  not  to  wait  for  working  drawings  and 
specifications  for  main  building,  or  even  for  the  stack 
shell  (or  building),  but  to  ask  for  two  bids  for  a  stack 
of  size  described,  one  for  the  cheapest  form  and  material 
each  maker  can  supply,  and  another  for  the  best  form 
he  would  recommend,  with  his  cheapest  price  for  that. 
This  alternative  is  suggested,  because  each  make  claims 
certain  advantages  over  the  other,  which  might  over- 
balance a  difference  in  price.  The  invitation  to  bid  should 
reserve  the  right  "to  reject  any  bid  for  cause,  "and  the  final 
decision  should  be  reserved  for  the  building  committee, 
under  recommendation  of  librarian  and  architect.  The  con- 
siderations for  determination  can  be :  cost,  strength,  light- 
ness, compactness,  adjustability,  cleanliness(including  lack 
of  projections  to  catch  dust) ;  convenience  of  stairs,  lifts, 
floors ;  details  of  heating  and  lighting;  and  pleasing  design. 

After  the  bid  has  been  assigned,  and  before  the  makers 
have  begun  on  construction,  I  advise  calling  their  expert 
into  consultation,  and  asking  him  if  he  can  suggest  any 
change  or  improvement  in  any  point  which  will  increase 
the  usefulness  of  the  stack,  without  increasing  its  cost. 
There  is  such  a  keen  competition  between  stack  builders, 
that  any  of  them  would  welcome  such  a  conference,  in 
the  hope  of  getting  ideas  from  librarian  or  architect 
which  might  help  him  improve  his  patent. 

The  stack  thus  bid  for  is  to  be  self-supporting,  deriving 
its  solidity  from  its  own  uprights,  without  depending 
in  any  degree  on  the  shell,  with  which  the  architect  will 
only  cover  it  and  protect  it  from  the  weather. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  283 

Location.  A  stack  may  be  installed  inside  the 
building;  for  instance,  all  along  the  rear,1  or  side  or  front. 
A  small  stack  is  often  a  feature  of  a  large  department 
room.  But  generally  it  occupies  an  ell  or  wing  of  the 
building,  of  light  construction,  projecting  from  the  rear, 
or  from  one  side. 

Where  the  building  must  face  a  noisy  street  there 
seems  to  be  no  reason  why  the  stack,  rather  than  reading 
rooms,  should  not  be  located  there.  Why  could  it  not  be 
designed,  even  if  "true  stack  windows"  would  make  it  look 
like  an  organ  front,  as  a  distinctive  architectural  feature? 

"The  stack  may  be  as  refreshing  a  problem  for  the 
hard-witted  architect  to  struggle  with  as  he  is  liable  to 
meet.  It  may  be  that  the  reading  rooms  will  be  within, 
shut  off  from  every  noise,  and  the  stack  arranged  along 
the  exterior."  —  Russell  Sturgis.2 

The  reading  room  is  now  often  put  just  over  the 
stack,  as  a  top-story,  separated  from  it  by  a  solid  floor, 
but  connected  with  it  by  service  tubes,  telephones  and 
lifts.  But  in  colleges,  is  it  not  better  to  use  such  a 
location  for  seminar  rooms,  and  in  many  libraries 
could  it  not  be  used  as  part  of  an  exhibition  and  special 
library  or  special  study  floor? 

The  Stack  Shell.  That  is  to  say,  the  addition  in 
which  the  stack  is  housed.  As  has  been  said,  it  usually 
projects  from  the  rear  (but  sometimes  from  the  side)  of 
the  main  building,  as  an  ell  or  wing.  It  can  be  of 
lighter,  simpler  and  plainer  construction  than  the  rest, 
for  it  needs  no  other  strength  than  is  necessary  to  sup- 
port its  own  walls  and  roof.  Indeed,  it  has  not  yet  been 
the  victim  of  architectural  ostentation.  On  the  exterior, 
true  stack  windows  usually  run  up  and  down  the  whole 
height,  although  they  may  be  interrupted  by  cross  sections 
at  the  level  of  the  floors  or  decks,  or  rather  just  above  them. 
1  See  Koch,  pi.  46.  2  Quoted  6  P.  L.  609. 


284  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

From  recent  experiments  I  have  made  in  a  stack,  I 
am  led  to  think  that  here,  as  elsewhere,  top  light  from 
windows  is  ten  times  more  valuable  for  penetration 
than  bottom  light,  hence  such  a  cross-section  of  wall, 
about  a  foot  wide,  if  it  has  any  binding  power,  strengthens 
the  wall,  gives  space  inside  for  heating  pipes,  or  looks 
better,  would  not  abstract  any  illumination  from  the 
interior.  Perhaps,  however,  the  piers  do  not  need  such 
binding.  That  is  a  question  for  the  architect,  and 
depends  largely  on  their  construction.  If  they  are  re- 
enforced  by  iron  or  steel  T-beams,  the  piers  need  not 
be  massive  or  be  strengthened  otherwise. 

Some  authorities  (Champneys,1  for  instance)  recom- 
mend solid  floors  every  three  decks,  as  guard  against 
spread  of  fire,  but  this  extra  expense,  not  needed  for 
support,  seems  to  me  unnecessary  as  protection. 

The  material  of  stacks  must  be  iron,  or  better,  steel, 
to  support  so  much  weight.  The  construction,  indeed, 
is  much  like  that  of  a  "sky  scraper,"  whose  steel  frame 
stands  alone,  without  help  from  the  walls. 

Use  by  Readers.  It  does  not  seem  either  possible 
or  desirable  to  plan  for  continuous  use  of  any  space  in 
stacks  by  readers.  The  temperature  both  in  summer 
and  winter  is  usually  not  so  equable  as  in  other  rooms. 
The  main  object  of  the  stack,  which  is  book  storage,  is 
just  so  much  frustrated  by  surrender  of  shelf  space  to 
readers.  But  there  is  much  inconvenience  in  excluding 
them  entirely. 

It  is  a  hindrance  to  investigation  to  have  to  make 
inquiries,  or  selections,  through  the  medium  of  an  appli- 
cation at  a  desk.  A  large  number  of  serious  readers 
want  to  glance  at  all  the  books  bearing  on  the  point  they 
are  investigating,  often  to  "taste"  books  by  dipping 
into  them  here  and  there;  and  to  make  choice  directly 

1  p.  66. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  285 

from  the  shelves,  of  books  they  want  to  examine  more 
thoroughly  or  copy  from,  to  be  carried  to  a  public 
or  private  reading  room  and  used  there  undisturbed 
at  leisure.  They  want  free  access  to  the  stack  for  ten 
minutes  only  at  a  time,  but  they  want  it  badly.  See 
Fletcher.1 

"It  is  fortunate  for  those  who  have  the  use  of  a  library 
if  they  can  be  admitted  to  the  shelves  and  select  their 
books  by  actual  examination."  —  Cutter.2 

For  this,  several  devices  have  been  used.  One  is 
to  leave  the  space  in  stacks  next  to  windows  for  tables 
and  chairs,  to  be  used  by  readers.  "Or  alcoves  on  one 
side,  as  in  Iowa  College."  — (Marvin?)  A  variation  of 
this  takes  the  form  of  "cubicles,"  little  glassed-in  rooms 
next  the  windows,  as  in  the  new  Harvard  Law  School 
stack,  or  as  proposed  for  the  Harvard  University 
Library.  But  before  using  this  form  generally,  it  would 
be  better  to  calculate,  first,  how  much  space  this 
will  abstract  from  the  storage  capacity  of  the  stack; 
second,  how  much  it  affects  the  penetration  of  daylight 
into  the  stack;  third,  how  often  any  one  reader  will 
want  to  use  any  one  section  of  the  library  so  long  as  to 
make  this  arrangement  worth  while;  fifth,  the  expense 
of  construction  and  provision  of  equivalent  stack  room 
elsewhere;  and  sixth,  the  problems  of  heating  and 
ventilation,  for  readers  who  require  reading-room  con- 
ditions. 

Another  favorite  device  is  to  shorten  the  outer  ends 
of  ranges  of  shelves,  say  by  one  three-foot  section,  in 
every  other  case  on  every  floor,  where  a  tiny  desk  can 
be  set  into  the  range,  with  a  chair  or  stool  underneath 
for  the  use  of  a  reader.  This  furnishes  room  for  reading 
but  pro  tanto  less  space  for  books. 

1  D.  76.  2  P.  L.  1876,  p.  526.  3  p.  99. 


286  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Open  Access  Stacks.  Can  wider  aisles  be  left  in 
stacks  so  that  readers  may  stand  well  back  or  stoop  to 
inspect  books,  and  pass  each  other  easily?  Yes,  stack 
cases  five  feet  "on  centres"  will  allow  fairly  free  move- 
ment, as  this  means  3-feet-6-inch  or  even  3-feet-8-inch 
aisles.  But  no  such  width  could  well  be  allowed  as  is 
called  for  with  open-access  floor  cases,  i.e.,  six  feet  clear 
between.  The  present  methods  of  stack  construction 
would  not  apparently  lend  themselves  well  to  wide  spaces 
on  the  ground  floor  and  narrow  spaces  above,  because 
the  uprights  would  not  directly  support  each  other.  A 
building  might  have,  indeed,  two  or  more  different 
stacks,  one  open  access  for  readers,  the  other  close 
storage  for  books,  but  this  seems  rather  wasteful.  Is 
there  no  way  to  provide,  in  a  stack  which  will  give  the 
maximum  storage,  some  facility  for  such  inspection  and 
handling  as  is  needed  both  for  staff  and  readers? 

A  Suggestion.  In  reading  "Clark's  Use  of  Books," 
I  came  across  an  old  expedient  of  mediaeval  days  which 
will  give  a  good  name  for  the  device  I  had  already 
thought  of.  (See  next  section.)  His  quotation  l  is  as 
follows :  — 

"In  the  north  Syde,  the  Cloister  was  all  fynely  glazed. 
And  in  every  wyndowe  iii  Pewes  or  Carrels,  where 
every  one  of  the  old  Monks  had  his  carrell,  severall  by 
himselfe,  and  there  studied  upon  there  books.  From  one 
stanchell  of  a  window  to  another,  and  in  every  one  was  a 
deske  to  lye  their  bookes  on."  "These  were  devices 
to  provide  a  certain  amount  of  privacy  for  literary 
work."2 

Carrels.  While  thinking  of  this  conflict  between  the 
desired  use  by  readers  and  the  close  storage  which  is  the 
proper  use  of  a  stack,  I  tried  to  find  some  wasted  space 

1  Clark  p.  90.  2  Clark,  p.  99,  (with  cut). 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  287 

which  might  serve  the  one  us  without  infringing  upon 
the  other.  While  searching  I  noticed  that  window  ledges 
were  thus  wasted.  Look  through  Koch's  floor  plans,1 
or  any  others,  and  you  will  notice  that  window  frames, 
usually  set  midway  between  the  outer  and  inner  surfaces 
of  the  wall,  were  sometimes  set  flush  with  the  inner 
surface,  thus  leaving  outside  a  window  "stool"  nearly 
the  full  width  of  the  wall.  But  why  leave  it  outside 
where  it  would  be  only  useful  for  pigeon-roosts  or  flower- 
boxes,  neither  strictly  necessary?  Why  not  set  the 
window-frame  flush  with  the  outer  wall  and  so  leave 
the  whole  ledge  inside,  both  sill  and  stool?  In  the  Salem 
Public  Library  stack,  as  the  architect  saw  no  structural 
reason  against  it,  this  has  been  tried.  In  each  stack 
window  on  every  floor  a  thin  shelf  has  been  run  across, 
table  high.  The  setting  back  allows  this  shelf  to  be 
twelve  inches  deep  and  three  feet  long  without  projecting 
into  the  aisle,  and  without  materially  interfering  with 
light.  Set  a  stool  near  and  here  is  provision,  close  to 
the  books,  and  without  cutting  into  the  stack,  for  just 
as  many  choosers  of  books  as  there  are  windows  on 
each  floor.  When  no  readers  need  them,  here  is  a 
ledge  for  attendants  to  use  in  assembling  or  dispersing 
books. 

This  device  does  not  suit  permanent  reading,  for 
which  the  stack  is  not  intended, — but  why  does  it 
not  perfectly  meet  the  needs  of  casual  inspection  and 
choice? 

It  has  been  gradually  tried  out.  In  the  John  Hay 
Memorial  Library  at  Brown,  rather  narrow  window- 
shelves  were  tried;  then  wider  sloping  desks  at  the 
Episcopal  Theological  School ;  and  recently,  the  wider 
Salem  carrels,  where  the  windows  are  set  quite  flush 
with  the  exterior  of  the  piers. 

1  See  pi.  14,  front  windows. 


288  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

There  is  still  an  opportunity  for  experiment  and 
development.  Is  such  a  shelf  better,  fixed  or  hinged? 
What  would  be  the  simplest  form  of  hinging  and  fasten- 
ing? Is  it  better,  in  view  of  its  temporary  and  inter- 
mittent use,  to  have  it  at  desk  height,  for  a  standee? 
How  thin  can  it  be,  and  of  what  wood,  cheapest  and  least 
liable  to  splitting?  Might  not  metal  shelves,  furnished 
with  the  stack,  be  better,  and  about  as  cheap? 

As  finally  improved  with  these  carrels  we  could  bring 
the  whole  stack  back  to  the  narrowest  intervals  con- 
sistent with  moving  books,  and  thus  avoid  resort  to 
underground  stacks  and  sliding  cases,  until  much  later. 

[Webster's  International  Dictionary  gives  only  the 
spelling  "carol,"  but  the  old  records  call  it  "carrell."] 

At  Durham,  the  carrels  were  2  feet  9  inches  wide. 
At  Gloucester  there  were  twenty  carrels,  each  4  feet 
wide,  6  feet  9  inches  high,  and  19  inches  deep.1 

The  modern  Salem  Public  Library  carrel  is  wider 
than  the  one  at  Durham,  and  about  as  high  and  deep 
as  those  at  Gloucester  Cathedral. 

Stack  Details.  Dark  Interiors  are  discussed  else- 
where; having  the  library  built  around  a  stack,  to  be 
lighted  by  electricity,  open  to  daylight  only  by  way  of 
the  roof,  and  opening  to  outer  corridors  or  rooms  on 
each  floor.  This  is  mainly  an  architectural  problem, 
though  its  administrative  aspects  would  have  to  be 
considered  by  the  librarian. 

Height.  The  height  of  each  stack  floor  is  generally  set 
at  seven  feet  to  seven  and  a  half.  I  favor  seven  and  a 
half,  of  the  two,  so  that  a  tall  man  need  not  stoop  under 
the  deck  beams  and  electric  bulbs.  In  order  to  get  the 
ground  floor  of  building  and  stack  coterminous,  the 
lower  story  of  the  stack  must  correspond  with  that  of 
the  building,  which  is  not  usually  higher  than  ten  feet. 
1  Clarke,  pp.  96,  98. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  289 

As  it  is  most  convenient  to  have  the  basement  floors 
of  stack  and  building  also  coterminous,  the  unusual 
height,  for  this  case  only,  may  be  accepted,  and  the 
inconveniently  high  shelves  used  for  some  kind  of  slow 
or  dead  books. 

It  is  usual  to  leave  several  feet  above  the  top  shelves, 
just  under  the  roof,  for  ventilation. 

"Broken"  floors  are  used  in  some  libraries,  the  Massa- 
chusetts State  Library,  for  instance;  one  stack  floor 
being  three  and  one-half  feet  higher  and  the  next  one 
three  and  one-half  feet  lower  than  the  corresponding 
building  floor,  on  the  idea  that  it  is  easier  to  go  up  or 
down  half  a  flight  than  a  whole  flight,  for  anyone  wanting 
to  get  books.  But  isn't  the  average  the  same?  In  this 
form,  the  very  great  convenience  of  moving  books  by 
trucks  is  sacrificed,  so  that  the  almost  universal  custom 
is  to  have  the  ground  floor,  and  every  second  floor 
above,  level  in  the  stack  with  floors  in  the  building, 
thus  fixing  the  height  of  the  latter  at  fourteen  or  fifteen 
feet,  except  the  top  floor,  which  is  free,  and  the  base- 
ment, usually  determined  by  other  exigencies. 

The  material  used  for  "decks"  may  be  openwork  iron, 
marble,  01  more  usually  translucent  ground  glass. 

The  floor  of  the  stack  as  well  as  of  the  building  base- 
ment, is  generally  cemented,  with  special  provisions  for 
excluding  dampness. 

Passages.  Those  running  lengthwise  may  be  called 
gangways,  those  across  between  cases,  aisles.  The 
number  of  gangways  varies  with  the  size  and  use  of  the 
stack.  Although  it  might  be  built  without  a  center 
gangway,  and  have  one  on  each  side,  or  only  on  one  side 
—  it  would  then  be  a  very  narrow  stack  —  the  usual 
construction  is  to  have  a  gangway  about  four  feet  wide 
down  the  center,  and  one  of  less  width  (just  enough  to 
allow  passing  around,  say  two  feet,)  at  each  outer  end. 


290  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

But  if  it  is  desired  to  have  very  close  packing,  these  side 
gangways  may  not  be  necessary.  In  building  the  new 
Salem  stack,  Mr.  Jones  decided  that  he  could  so  run  the 
classification  of  the  books  from  the  center  around  back 
to  the  center,  in  every  aisle,  that  there  would  be  little 
need  of  passing  around  the  outer  ends,  and  he  could 
omit  them  and  so  gain  that  much  more  for  books. 

The  center  gangway  may  be  any  width  desired,  but 
should  of  course  be  wide  enough  to  serve  as  thoroughfare 
for  men,  book-trucks,  and  boxes.  Although  four  feet 
seems  the  average  width,  it  varies  from  three  feet  to  six 
feet  in  existing  libraries.  Good,  large  windows  on  each 
floor  should  light  gangways  at  the  far  end. 

The  length  of  aisles  varies  with  the  width  of  the  stack 
building,  though  limited  by  the  belief  that  no  bookcase 
should  be  more  than  15  or  18  feet  long,  which  requires 
other  gangways  at  that  interval.  The  width  of  the 
aisles  has  varied.  The  original  Harvard  width,  2  feet 
4  inches,  appears  to  be  the  very  narrowest  which,  will 
allow  passage  of  two  persons,  or  stooping  to  the  lower 
shelves;  2  feet  8  inches  is  very  common;  3  feet  is  so 
roomy  that  the  stack  becomes  convenient  for  limited 
open-access;  while  5  feet  "on  centers"  (3' 6"  or  8" aisle) 
is  the  maximum  in  stacks  at  present. 

Many  stacks  have  wide  intervals  at  the  sides  of  the 
"deck"  in  each  aisle  —  so  wide  as  to  have  to  be  wired 
to  prevent  books  falling  through  —  "for  ventilation, 
diffusion  of  light,  and  communication,"  but  such  wide 
spaces  are  not  needed  for  light  or  ventilation,  and  are 
much  handier  for  dropping  pencils  than  for  passing 
books,  so  that  I  prefer  wider  decks  with  small  rims  for 
protection,  and  much  narrower  spaces  along  the  cases. 

Stairs.  Stack  stairs  need  not  be  wide,  for  they  are 
so  short  that  two  people  never  need  to  pass.  Two  feet 
wide  is  enough.  When  first  adopted,  circular  stairs 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  291 

were  used,  as  supposed  to  occupy  less  space,  but  they 
were  found  to  be  inconvenient  and  dangerous,  and  since 
measurement  has  shown  that  straight  stairs  need  occupy 
no  more  space,  the  "cork  screws"  have  been  entirely 
superseded.  Eight-inch  risers  and  9-inch  treads  are 
recommended  by  Champneys,1  who  thinks,  by  the  way, 
2  feet  4  inches  the  right  width,  iron  with  rubber  treads 
being  the  material. 

Stairs  should  be  put  in  wherever  they  will  be  most 
convenient,  and  where  they  interfere  least  with  book 
storage  and  passing.  One  flight  certainly  should  be 
next  the  entrance  on  each  floor,  and  one  flight  generally 
at  the  other  end.  If  they  be  set  sideways  in  the  folio 
shelving  there,  which  is  not  always  all  needed,  they 
seem  to  interfere  least.  (See  paragraph  on  circular  or 
winding  stairs.) 

Lifts.  Light  lifts  for  single  books,  or  few  books  at  a 
time,  are  needed  for  all  stacks  (See  that  title,  on  page 
228.)  In  large  libraries  and  high  stacks,  elevators  large 
and  strong  enough  to  carry  trucks  and  boxes,  are  also 
necessary.  For  lifts,  hand  operation  will  serve,  or  elec- 
tricity; for  freight  elevators,  some  sort  of  power  is 
better. 

Every  such  carrier  should  run  from  basement  to  top, 
with  opening  on  every  floor.  A  speaking  tube  should 
run  beside  it,  with  mouthpiece  also  on  each  floor. 

Ledges.  (See  under  Shelving,  p.  265.)  As  a  ledge  on 
both  sides  of  each  case  would  greatly  narrow  the  aisles 
for  passage  and  diminish  the  capacity  for  storage,  these 
have  disappeared  from  the  modern  stack.  Their  place 
has  been  taken  in  some  stacks  by  sliding  shelves  (to  be 
drawn  out  when  wanted),  which  do  not  appear  to  be 
entirely  satisfactory.  But  the  need  for  some  substitute, 

1  p.  66. 


292  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

for  the  use  of  which  Dewey  speaks,  has  suggested  ledges 
for  folio  shelving  on  each  floor  and  for  the  new  device 
of  carrels,  which  may  at  least  partially  replace  ledges 
without  diminishing  storage  capacity  or  easy  passage. 

Shelves.  The  shelving  of  stacks  follows  the  rules 
already  described  under  the  title  "Shelving,"  except  as 
dimensions  are  varied  by  the  use  of  steel,  which  is  less 
bulky.  Movable  shelves  also  allow  more  variety  in 
intervals  to  suit  the  average  size  of  books  in  any  part  of 
the  stack.  It  is  usual  to  maintain  the  10-inch  height 
for  intervals  between  shelves,  all  over  the  stack,  except 
as  thus  modified  here  and  there  to  suit  exigencies  and 
except  for  folio  shelving  at  the  ends  (or  sides)  of  each 
floor. 

Different  patents  offer  much  choice  in  stack  shelving. 
Avoid  especially  projections,  likely  to  catch  dust  or 
tear  clothing  or  injure  books.  Test  very  carefully  all 
forms  of  "clutch"  or  detachable  shelves. 

Stack  Lighting.  Natural.  North  light  is  the 
best,  but  the  choice  is  not  often  open.  The  location  of 
the  stack  is  determined  usually  by  other  considerations 
than  aspect.  Unless  it  runs  along  the  rear  or  side  of  the 
main  building;  if  it  projects,  that  is,  it  will  naturally 
have  two  sides  lighted,  one  of  which  in  any  location 
would  have  to  be  south  or  west,  and  thus  sunny.  If 
wired  glass  is  used  as  a  protection  against  fire  it  will 
be  more  or  less  opaque  and  thus  will  temper  glare. 
Shades  can,  of  course,  be  used  on  the  worst  exposure, 
and  some  contrivance  can  be  used,  like  that  at  the 
Library  of  Congress,  to  work  all  these  curtains  at  once 
to  save  time. 

Overhead  light  will  penetrate  one  glass  floor  of  a 
stack  fairly  well,  not  more.1 

1  See  B.  R.  Green,  25  L.  J.  680. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  293 

"If  daylight  is  on  the  whole  better  and  more  whole- 
some, as  it  is  certainly  cheaper  than  electric  light,  then 
a  well  windowed  stack  room  is  better  than  a  dark  one." 
—  Russell  Sturgis.1 

Light  penetrates  stack  aisles  effectively  only  about 
twenty  feet,  hence  a  stack  lighted  on  both  sides  may  be 
forty  feet  wide,  plus  width  of  centre  aisle. 

Artificial.  The  best  light  is,  of  course,  electricity, 
and  here  the  expert  of  the  stack  to  be  installed  can  give 
valuable  advice.  The  question  of  the  location  of  the 
bulbs,  their  power,  their  direction  (transverse  or  per- 
pendicular), their  frequency,  their  wiring,  their  switches, 
such  questions  must  be  determined.  As  a  great  deal 
might  depend  on  the  particular  structure  of  the  stack, 
one  bid  for  the  stack,  another  for  the  lighting,  with 
specifications  from  each  bidder,  might  be  invited. 

Hand  bulbs  at  the  end  of  cords  have  not  been  found 
satisfactory.  Various  devices  have  been  used,  but  good 
systems  of  fixed  lights  (bulbs  with  reflectors  and  shades), 
worked  well  by  means  of  switches,  have  been  perfected. 

Reflective  Colors.  To  help  diffusion  and  local  effec- 
tiveness of  both  natural  and  artificial  light,  inner  walls 
and  the  whole  stack  would  well  be  painted  some  agree- 
able light  tint  of  enamelled  paint.  This  is  a  question 
of  taste  for  the  architect,  with  approval  by  librarian 
and  committee. 

1  Brochure  Series,  Nov.  1897,  p.  16Q. 


294  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Stack  Windows 

As  stack  windows  must  be  high  and  narrow,  they 
introduce  a  new  and  imperative  architectural  feature 
on  the  exterior  of  the  stack  fronts.  The  usual  form  is  a 
continuous  window  from  foundation  to  eaves.  This 
may,  however,  be  broken  for  a  foot  up  from  every  floor, 
by  a  cross  band  of  iron  or  stone,  for  effect  or  for  any 
interior  convenience,  like  continuous  hanging  of  steam 
pipes,  without  real  diminution  of  daylight  inside,  pro- 
vided that  the  windows  run  quite  to  the  ceiling  in  each 
deck,  to  give  full  top  light.  If  the  windows  are  glazed 
with  wire  glass,  they  will  afford  some  protection  from 
outside  fire,  and  being  opaque,  would  temper  the  glare 
of  sunlight.  Factory  ribbed  glass  is  also  used,  as  both 
tempering  and  intensifying  daylight. 

True  Windows.  To  give  full  effect  the  piers  between 
windows  should  be  only  as  thick  as  the  depth  of  the 
double  book  cases,  sixteen  inches,  and  directly  oppo- 
site them.  They  have  only  to  support  themselves  and 
the  roof,  as  the  stack  floors  are  independent  and  self- 
supporting.  Re-enforcement  with  a  steel  T-beam  will 
render  them  stiff  enough  with  sixteen  inch  width,  and 
even  allow  flaring  from  the  windows  to  admit  more 
light. 

With  this  construction,  each  window  can  have  the 
full  width  of  the  aisle  it  fronts  and  be  so  framed  and 
glazed  as  not  to  intercept  any  light,  thus  throwing 
illumination  as  far  as  possible  down  the  aisle,  with  oblique 
rays  from  the  side  of  the  window  to  the  other  side  of  the 
aisle,  reaching  both  rows  of  books  to  the  far  end. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  295 

This  I  call  a  true  stack  window.  In  looking  over 
modern  plans,  you  will  see  that  many  libraries  have 
them  as  to  position,  though  the  entire  available  width 
is  not  always  used. 

If  you  have  Clark's  "Care  of  Books,"  see  how  true 
the  alcove  windows  were  in  the  Queen's  College,  Cam- 
bridge, library  as  long  ago  as  A.  D.  1472. 

Defective  Windows.  In  other  stacks,  you  will  find 
windows  too  short  (even  if  there  is  a  cross  band,  it  should 
not  be  more  at  the  most  than  eighteen  inches  in  height, 
leaving  a  window  on  each  deck,  six  feet  full  down  from 
the  deck  above) ,  but  of tener  windows  narrower  than  the 
aisle,  giving  too  little  light  to  reach  the  inner  ends  of  the 
cases.  There  is  no  excuse  for  these.  As  has  been  said 
above,  there  is  no  structural  need  to  build  the  piers 
between  windows  wider  than  the  book  cases  inside,  and 
just  so  much  as  they  encroach  upon  the  windows  they 
commit  the  unpardonable  sin  of  darkening  the  stack. 

Many  modern  plans  show  this  defect. 

False  Windows.  By  these  I  mean  windows  which 
outside  take  the  gridiron  stack  form,  but  do  not  come 
truly  and  fully  opposite  every  aisle  inside. 

"The  rear  elevation  of  the  New  York  Public  Library 
plainly  shows  that  the  architects  wilfully  omitted  to 
place  a  window  at  the  end  of  each  aisle.  All  the  beauty 
of  the  elevation  will  not  make  good  the  want  of  light 
in  the  lower  floors  of  the  stack."  —  Oscar  Bluemner.1 

The  falsity  of  this  arrangement,  which  is  found  in 
many  modern  libraries,  lies  in  using  an  exterior  scheme 
which  does  not  meet  inside  conditions.  The  excuse  is 
that  sufficient  diffused  light  is  provided  for  the  whole 
stack.  But  if  this  is  true  (which  I  cannot  concede),  any 
other  equal  window  area  could  be  used  in  any  other  form, 
1 3  P.  L.  76. 


296  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

which  would  not  give  outer  promise  of  inward  excellence. 
They  are  only  a  sham,  and  can  therefore  be  called  false 
stack  windows. 

Heating.  The  best  form  developed  for  stacks  is  by 
hot  water  or  steam  pipes  along  the  walls  just  above  the 
floor  of  each  story  clear  of  the  books,  with  coils  in  the 
windows.  Overhead  pipes  are  very  bad,  as  they  con- 
centrate heat  at  the  top  of  each  story,  where  it  is  most 
oppressive  to  those  walking  or  working  below. 

Ventilation.  There  should  be  an  air  space  above 
the  top  shelves  in  a  stack.  Good  ventilation  can 
be  provided  there  by  end  windows  and  through  the 
side  windows.  Some  writers  have  advised  sealed  win- 
dows so  as  to  be  dust  proof.  In  that  case  some  system 
of  forced  draft  would  have  to  be  installed. 

The  ventilation  of  a  stack,  where  use  by  staff  and 
public  is  only  intermittent,  is  perhaps  not  so  important 
as  that  of  reading  rooms  constantly  crowded,  but  the 
open  construction  and  height  of  the  stack  differentiate 
the  problem  rather  than  avoid  it. 

Underground.  In  England,  Burgoyne  says :  four 
stories  is  the  rule.  But  in  America,  every  library  builds 
its  stack,  in  all  dimensions,  according  to  its  wants  and 
space.  Four-story  stacks  are  common,  but  by  no  means 
the  limit. 

The  impending  exigencies  of  storage  have  not  only 
brought  suggestions  of  dark  stacks  in  the  interior  of  a 
building,  but  they  have  already  carried  stacks  under 
ground.  Even  the  Bodleian  Library  in  England  has 
installed  a  two-story  subterranean  stack,  mechanically 
lighted  and  ventilated,  under  its  front  lawn.  Plans  are 
on  foot  for  stacks  many  floors  below  ground-level,  to 
be  lighted  and  aired  by  electricity.  See  p.  222. 

1  p.  43. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  297 

Upward.  Ten  "decks"  is  the  maximum  height  now, 
but  why  is  it  not  possible  to  build  further  up  into  the 
air  before  we  burrow  under  ground?  Are  there  any 
structural  difficulties?  Would  it  cost  more  to  have  a 
"sky-scraper"  stack  than  a  dungeon? 

It  is  a  question  how  underground  cases  will  affect  the 
books.  It  is  claimed  that  forced  draft  will  avert  the 
evils  of  dampness,  but  Dr.  Thwaites  reports  that  he 
has  found  trouble  from  mould  deposited  on  the  backs 
of  books  as  the  warmer  air  from  the  surface  above  comes 
into  contact  with  the  cooler  walls  of  the  cellar.  Would 
not  books  packed  in  sliding  cases,  away  from  the  moving 
air,  be  more  apt  to  develop  inside  rot  and  insects? 

It  does  not  appear  to  me  that  cellars  for  book  storage 
have  got  beyond  experimental  stage.  Some  years  of 
test  seem  needed  to  prove  their  perfect  availability. 

Stack  Towers.  B.  R.  Green  says  l  "the  stack  might 
be  in  the  center,  and  rise  from  the  roof  as  a  tower.  It 
would  be  a  simple  thing  to  make  a  stack  of  twenty  or 
more  stories."  Why  not?  and  why  not  so  rise  from  an 
ell,  as  well  as  from  the  center?  Why  not  build  it  as  a 
skyscraper,  any  number  of  stories  upward,  supporting 
itself,  with  a  shell  plastered  on  the  exterior?  The 
structural  objections  would  seem  no  greater  in  a  stack 
than  an  office  building.  The  operating  objections  are 
surely  no  weightier  going  up  than  going  down.  The 
daylight  would  be  better,  the  dampness  less.  It  might 
be  easier  to  flood  cellars  than  towers,  in  case  of  fire,  but 
the  certainty  of  water  is  even  a  worse  foe  to  books  than 
the  possibilities  of  fire. 

Why  is  not  here  a  chance  to  develop  a  new  type  of 
architectural  beauty?  If  towers  are  fine  features  in 
churches  and  abbeys,  why  not  in  libraries?  Before 
digging  catacombs  for  our  books,  why  not  set  our  in- 

1 25  L.  J.  680. 


298  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

ventive  faculties  on  hanging  gardens  of  literature  reached 
by  elevators  like  the  levels  of  the  Eiffel  Tower? 

Capacity.  Various  ways  of  calculating  capacity 
have  been  suggested,  but  most  of  them  disregard 
the  fact  that  stacks  vary  in  measurement,  and  only  two 
whose  interior  dimensions  are  exactly  alike  can  be 
safely  compared. 

Capacity  of  an  average  stack  can  be  roughly  calcu- 
lated at  twenty  volumes  to  a  square  foot  on  each  deck. 
Thus  a  30  x  40  stack,  three  stories  high,  will  hold  about 
72,000  vols. 

I  prefer  to  calculate  the  capacity  of  every  new  stack 
independently,  when  planning  it. 

Taking  folio  shelving  separately  and  adding  its  figures 
in  later,  I  take  one  floor  by  itself.  It  has  so  many 
double  cases,  such  and  such  length,  on  each  side  of  the 
central  gangway.  One  case  15  or  18  feet  long,  multi- 
plied by  2  for  the  two  sides,  and  7  or  8  for  such  shelves 
as  the  librarian  thinks  he  can  use,  then  multiplied  by 
8  volumes  to  each  foot,  will  give  the  "practical  capacity" 
in  volumes  for  octavos  and  duodecimos.  Multiply  by 
the  number  of  cases  on  both  sides,  plus  your  calculation 
for  folios,  and  you  have  the  capacity  of  that  deck. 
Multiply  again  by  number  of  decks,  and  you  have  the 
practical  capacity  of  the  stack. 

If  you  wish  to  get  the  "full  capacity,"  as  it  is  reported 
in  many  plans,  make  your  volume-multiplier  ten  instead 
of  eight,  or  add  twenty-five  per  cent  to  your  first  calcu- 
lation, which  amounts  to  the  same  thing.  But  eight  to 
the  foot  is  practically  full  capacity  for  closely  classified 
libraries,  where  frequent  gaps  must  be  left  for  growth, 
at  the  end  of  each  subject. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  299 


Sliding  Cases 

We  can  wisely  borrow  from  England  the  "sliding 
presses"  which  Dr.  Richard  Garnett  brought  to  the 
attention  of  the  Library  Association  of  the  United  King- 
dom at  its  annual  meeting  of  1891,  having  previously 
described  them  in  Dewey's  Library  Notes  and  elsewhere 
in  1887. 

Adapted  from  the  Bethnal  Green  library  in  1886, 
they  were  put  on  trial  in  the  British  Museum  in  1887, 
and  have  since  been  in  operation,  regarded  apparently 
as  an  invention  quite  as  valuable  as  the  stack  appears 
to  us.  "I  think  enough  has  been  said,"  to  quote  Dr. 
Garnett's  words,  "to  convince  librarians  of  the  expedi- 
ency of  taking  the  sliding-press,  or  some  analogous 
contrivance,  into  account  in  plans  for  the  enlargement 
of  old  libraries,  or  the  construction  of  new  ones." 

The  British  Museum  press  is  described  as  "an  addi- 
tional bookcase  hung  in  the  air  from  beams  or  rods  pro- 
jecting in  front  of  the  bookcase  it  is  desired  to  enlarge, 
working  by  rollers  running  on  metal  ribs,  and  so  sus- 
pended as  not  to  touch  the  ground  anywhere."  In 
other  words,  it  is  a  movable  bookcase  parallel  to  a  fixed 
case,  and  sliding  to  and  from  it  by  wheels  above.  It 
may  be  distinctively  called  a  hanging  case  or  press. 
It  is  better  suited  to  the  arrangment  of  aisles  and  con- 
struction of  floors  in  the  British  Museum  than  to  most 
American  libraries,  and  so  far  as  I  know  has  not  been 
copied  here. 

[See  illustration  in  Library  Notes,1  and  also  in  Bur- 


goyne.2] 


1  Vol.  2,  pp.  97,  99.  2  p.  66. 


300  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Another  double  press  used  at  the  Museum  is  called 
by  Dr.  Garnett  the  pivot  press.  It  is  apparently  a 
second  case,  kept  front  to  front  close  to  the  fixed  case 
and  swung  out  from  it  when  wanted,  by  a  door-motion 
hinged  on  a  perpendicular  pivot;  overhung,  I  gather, 
at  the  Museum,  but  elsewhere  running  by  wheels  on 
metal  semicircular  tracks  laid  on  or  in  the  floor.  Such 
were  early  experiments  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin, 
twenty-five  years  ago.  These  might  be  called  folding 
bookcases.  They  have  not  yet  been  copied  in  America. 

A  third  kind  of  movable  bookcase,  which  may  more 
properly  be  called  the  sliding  case,  is  used  in  the  Patent 
Office  Library,  London.  This  apparently  also  swings 
from  the  top.  Duff-Brown1  describes  it:  "These 
presses  are  swung  closely  side  by  side,  and  drawn  out, 
one  at  a  time,  as  required."  He  does  not  say  drawn 
out  endwise,  however. 

This  idea  is  developed  in  The  Librarian  2  by  James 
Lymburn,  who  suggests  "a  storeroom  of  any  length, 
22  feet  wide  by  35  feet  high,  in  three  stories,  lighted 
from  the  roof  through  iron  grating  floors;  with  center 
passages  of  9  feet,  and  sliding  cases  6  feet  long,  closely 
packed  in  on  each  side."  He  calculates  that  such  a 
room  40  feet  long  would  hold  100,000  volumes;  its 
advantages  being  close  storage  and  shelter  from  dust 
and  sunlight. 

See  for  illustration,  Champneys.3 

Jenner,  in  the  Library  Chronicle,4  claims  for  the 
sliding  case  these  merits:  Cheapness,  as  compared  with 
enlarging  the  building;  possibility  of  gradual  installa- 
tion as  needed;  nearness  to  other  shelves  in  a  classifi- 
cation; absence  of  obstacle  to  light(?)  or  motion. 

I  have  also  received  from  a  dealer  in  Oxford,  England, 
a  small  pamphlet  hinting  at  rather  than  describing,  a 
1  p.  121.  2  Vol.  4,  p.  241.  »  pp.  39,  67,  68.  4  Vol.  4,  p.  88. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  301 

room  laid  out  after  Lymburn's  idea.  The  pamphlet 
calculates  it  will  save  about  half  the  space  taken  by 
stack  storage.  These  cases,  and  Mr.  Lymburn's,  are 
evidently  double. 

See  also  H.  Woodbine  in  The  Library  Association 
Record.1 

'Per  contra,  H.  M.  Mayhew  says  in  The  Library,2 
"The  drawback  of  the  ordinary  sliding  or  hanging  or 
extension  case  is  the  difficulty  of  moving  so  great  a 
weight  whenever  one  book  is  wanted." 

I  cannot  figure  out  much  from  these  English  descrip- 
tions about  problems  of  mechanism,  repairs,  lighting,  or 
cleaning. 

In  America,  the  general  idea  of  sliding  cases  has  been 
discussed  since  Dr.  Garnett's  description  of  the  British 
Museum  device  in  Library  Notes,  and  since  Mr.  Glad- 
stone called  attention  to  it  in  the  Nineteenth  Century 
of  March,  1890. 

Mr.  Gladstone  describes  what  he  calls  these  "book 
cemeteries"  thus,  as  he  has  seen  the  "tentative  and 
initial  processes": — 

"The  masses  represented  by  filled  bookcases  are  set 
one  in  front  of  the  other,  and  in  order  that  access  may 
be  had  as  required,  they  are  set  on  trams  inserted  in 
the  floor  (which  must  be  a  strong  one),  and  wheeled  off 
and  on  as  occasion  requires." 

The  masses  which  he  thinks  ought  first  "be  selected 
for  interment"  are  Hansard's  Debates,  the  Gentleman's 
Magazine,  and  the  Annual  Register. 

So  far  as  I  know  only  two  trials  of  this  idea  have 
been  made  here;  several  years  ago  by  Dr.  Little  at 
Bowdoin  College,  more  recently  by  Mr.  Lane  at  Har- 
vard University.  Both  of  these  are  wooden  single  cases, 
side  by  side,  pulled  out  by  the  end,  and  locked  or  locka- 
bl-e.  Both  slide,  not  hang. 

1  Vol.  12,  p.  453.  2  Vol.  7,  p.  10. 


302  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Mr.  Lane  has  now  a  line  of  twenty-three  in  a  row, 
sliding  on  ball-bearing  wheels  at  the  bottom,  which  in 
turn  run  on  rails  countersunk  in  the  floor.  At  the  top, 
the  cases  are  held  erect  and  guided,  but  not  supported, 
by  small  wheels  along  the  sides  of  a  T-rail.  He  uses 
his  cases  entirely  for  rare  books  in  an  exhibition  room 
on  the  ground  floor,  and  finds  them  very  satisfactory 
for  the  purpose,  although  he  utters  a  warning  that 
provision  should  be  made  for  free  access  to  all  the 
mechanism,  which  occasionally  needs  repair. 

Dr  Little  submitted  a  paper  describing  his  cases  to 
the  A.  L.  Institute  at  its  New  York  meeting  in  1911. 
By  reference  to  a  photographic  view  accompanying 
I  see  that  he  has  a  double-decker,  —  two  stories  of  five 
single  wooden  cases  each;  each  case  "about  six  feet 
high  and  three  feet  long."  "These  cases  can  be  made  of 
either  wood  or  metal,  for  either  octavos  or  quartos,  sup- 
plied with  either  fixed  or  movable  shelves."  [At  Har- 
vard the  middle  shelf  is  fixed  as  a  brace,  the  others  are 
movable.]  "They  must  be  mounted  at  the  center  of 
the  base  on  small  ball-bearing  trucks  which  run  on  metal 
rails  sunk  in  the  floor.  Their  tops  are  at  the  same  time 
guided  and  kept  securely  in  place  by  a  slot  and  a  T-iron, 
the  friction  against  which  is  reduced  to  a  minimum  by 
rollers,  placed  horizontally.  If  properly  constructed 
and  placed  upon  level  rails,  a  slight  pull  with  one  hand 
will  bring  one  forth.  The  increased  storage  is  esti- 
mated at  100  per  cent.  .  .  .  We  also  have  the  Patent 
Office  Gazette  on  six  wooden  sliding  cases  like  these,  on 
either  side  of  the  door  of  the  room  in  which  they  are 
stored.  .  .  .  This  method  of  storage  is  especially  eco- 
nomical in  case  a  depository  library  desires  to  keep  its 
sheep-bound  set  of  Congressional  Documents  as  a  unit, 
arranged  by  their  serial  number.  .  .  .  The  cost  of 
these  cases  and  their  installation  varies  greatly  with 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  303 

the  material,  finish  and  location.  My  first  cost  less  than 
$15  each,  my  last  about  twice  that  amount." 

I  suppose  Dr.  Little  means  this  for  the  cost  of  each 
separate  bookcase,  fully  equipped  and  mounted.  Mr. 
Lane's  figures  I  have  not  been  able  to  put  my  hands 
on. 

So  far  for  the  statement  of  facts.  I  must  confess 
to  having  approached  the  subject  with  some  prejudice 
against  the  mechanism  of  these  cases,  founded  on  an 
experience  of  sliding  doors  in  dwelling  houses,  which 
slide  or  not,  as  they  feel  like  it,  and  whose  machinery 
is  most  difficult  to  get  at  and  repair.  But  machinery 
can  be  got  under  control  by  mechanics.  I  yield  my 
prejudices  in  view  of  the  evident  advantages  of  this 
system,  and  am  prepared  to  make  definite  suggestions 
as  to  its  use  in  future  repairs  or  building  in  this  country. 

In  alterations  of  those  architectural  extravagances 
which  have  wasted  so  much  perpendicular  capacity  in 
high  rooms  and  corridors,  I  see  a  way  to  use  the  style 
of  cases  experimented  on  by  Dr.  Little  and  Mr.  Lane, 
rather  than  any  of  the  English  styles.  Either  as  a 
single  story  along  a  wall  anywhere,  or  in  the  double 
story  style,  swung  out  anywhere  on  the  vacant  floor 
of  any  room  or  any  unnecessarily  wide  corridor,  there 
will  be  relief  in  the  storage  of  any  books  not  required 
for  open  access  or  frequent  reference ;  —  as  Dr.  Little 
says,  "for  compact  storage  of  less  used  books." 

In  planning  new  buildings  I  hardly  think  it  would 
be  necessary  to  set  up  such  cases  at  first,  except  perhaps 
in  the  case  of  rare  books  as  at  Harvard,  where  locked 
cases  and  protection  from  sunlight  were  wanted,  with 
infrequent  access;  or  in  equipping  rooms  for  rapidly 
growing  sets,  such  as  Congressional  or  State  Documents, 
Patent  Office  Reports,  sets  of  periodicals  or  publications 
of  societies,  or  any  similar  sets  whose  titles  and  volume 
numbers  can  be  labelled  on  the  ends  of  the  cases;  or  for 


304  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"dead"  books.  The  Oxford  pamphlet  sketches  a  room 
somewhat  after  the  "Poole  plan,"  equipped  with  tables 
and  chairs  toward  the  windows  and  a  row  of  sliding 
cases  along  the  blind  wall  opposite  the  window  light. 
This  seems  to  me  good  for  many  departments. 

But  except  in  rooms  evidently  adapted  to  such  treat- 
ment, I  would  not  install  sliding  shelves  anywhere,  but 
would  most  certainly  leave  space,  in  a  perfectly  dry 
basement  if  nowhere  else,  for  possible  future  installa- 
tion whenever  need  may  arise. 

One  reason  for  this  postponement  is  this:  that  sev- 
eral details  must  be  studied,  experimented  on,  and 
perfected  before  fully  equipped  rooms  of  this  kind  can 
be  considered  as  tried  out  and  permanently  satisfactory. 
Lymburn's  scheme  seems  good,  but  the  plans  presented 
by  Champneys  and  the  dealers  do  not  work  out  well  on 
examination  as  regards  space,  light  or  handling.  I  sug- 
gest as  problems  to  be  investigated,  — 

Smooth  and  sure  working  of  the  mechanism. 

Easy  access  to  top  and  rear  for  repairs. 

Access  for  cleaning  and  ventilation. 

Incidence  of  weight  (this  is  not  even  on  floors  as  in 
a  stack;  but  is  moving,  as  on  bridges). 

Lighting  (most  important)  on  each  face  of  each  case. 

Floors  sure  to  remain  true. 

Width  of  center  aisles  for  all  emergencies. 

See  Bookworms,  p.  222. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  305 


PART   III 


READERS'   ROOMS 


Reading  Generally 

F.  B.  Perkins1  divides  reading  into  three  classes: 
Entertainment,  Acquisition  of  knowledge,  Authorship. 
This  epitomizes  our  American  division  of  reading  rooms. 

What  I  shall  call  the  light-reading  room  will  provide 
for  all  who  drop  in  at  a  library  to  pass  a  quiet,  restful 
recreative  half  hour,  a  very  large  proportion  of  readers. 
They  are  attracted  by  the  lighter  magazines,  the  illus- 
trated weeklies  and  monthlies,  and  books  into  which 
they  can  dip  pleasantly  for  a  few  moments.  This  is 
generally  known  as  the  periodical  room. 

The  serious  reading  room,  usually  called  the  reading 
room,  is  intended  for  such  readers  as  get  books  from 
the  shelves  to  study  or  read  earnestly  and  long,  or  are 
preparing  themes,  papers,  newspaper  articles  —  even 
(when  there  is  slender  provision  of  separate  study  rooms) 
where  they  are  writing  books. 

I  would  add  a  fourth  use  of  a  library  —  perhaps  the 
commonest  —  as  it  helps  all  other  classes,  that  is,  what 
we  call  reference  use.  (In  England  where  the  reference 
library  and  its  reading  room  seem  to  cover  all  reading 
of  books  in  the  library  as  distinguished  from  maga 
zines  and  newspapers,  this  is  called  quick  or  ready 
reference.)  A  separate  reference  room  or  separate 
corner  of  the  reading  room  near  the  door  holds  all  the 
books  to  which  visitors  look  for  scraps  of  information, 
but  never  read  consecutively. 

1  P.  L.,  1876,  238. 


306  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Serious  Reading  Room 

By  this  phrase  I  mean  the  room  for  serious  readers 
who  want  quiet,  but  do  not  need  separate  rooms.  The 
English  seem  to  call  this  the  reference  room,  a  name 
I  apply  only  to  their  "quick"  or  "ready  reference" 
room.  Their  "reading  room"  I  call  in  this  work  peri- 
odical room,  in  which  books  for  light  or  "half  hour"  read- 
ing in  the  library  may  be  shelved. 

This  main  or  general  reading  room  is  usually  on  the 
ground  floor  in  smaller  libraries,  but  may  be  relegated  to 
the  second  or  the  top,  or  indeed  to  any  other  convenient 
floor,  accessible  by  elevators  and  in  good  communi- 
cation with  the  stack. 

In  libraries  where  there  is  space  for  it  on  the  ground 
floor,  it  can  be  supervised  and  served  from  the  central 
delivery  desk,  but  when  elsewhere,  it  must  have  a  sepa- 
rate desk  and  service. 

In  the  largest  libraries  it  often  occupies  a  central  posi- 
tion and  a  circular  form.  With  a  lofty  open  dome  above, 
it  is  an  impressive  feature,  but  wastes  space  which  might 
be  utilized  otherwise,  and  it  is  said  to  be  more  or  less 
drafty  and  hard  to  heat  evenly. 

Position  at  the  top  as  at  the  New  York  Public 
Library,  has  great  advantage  in  light  without  waste  of 
space,  or  superfluous  loftiness.  If  over  the  stack 
(though  the  supporting  walls  have  then  to  be  stronger 
than  usual)  it  has  the  advantage  of  short  and  straight 
lines  to  the  books,  and  is  said  to  lend  itself  to  enlarge- 
ment for  readers  and  books  pari  passu.  Good  elevator 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  307 

service  is  a  requisite  in  this  form.  "I  incline  more  and 
more  to  the  reading  room  on  top  of  the  building,  espe- 
cially in  a  large  city."  —  (Dewey.1)  So  Andrews,  at  the 
same  Conference.  He  also  said,  "I  believe  in  the  single 
reading  room  [as  compared  with  the  Newberry  or  Poole's 
plan]  in  a  public  library  as  a  saving  in  trained  assistants, 
and  because  it  is  impossible  to  classify  readers  in  rooms 
as  you  do  books." 

"Plain  outlines  are  best.  Recesses,  alcoves,  bay  win- 
dows and  nooks  are  difficult  of  supervision  and  spoil 
the  public  character  of  a  library."- — O.  Bluemner.2 

The  main  requisites  of  a  reading  room  are  quiet, 
privacy,  light,  good  air  and  space. 

Quiet.  This  means  not  only  regulations  against  con- 
versation, but  various  physical  conditions.  For  in- 
stance, absence  of  stir  or  motion;  exclusion  of  such 
magazines  as  are  merely  looked  over  with  fluttering  of 
leaves;  exclusion  from  the  shelves  (if  there  must  be 
shelves  around  the  walls)  of  books  frequently  wanted 
by  readers  and  attendants;  (reference  books,  class  books, 
new  books  and  others  inviting  frequent  examination, 
should  be  put  on  the  side  or  in  a  corner  near  the  entrance, 
concentrating  stir  there;)  noiseless  floors;  echoless  walls 
and  ceilings;  exclusion  of  outside  noises;  no  stairs  di- 
rectly into  or  out  of  the  room;  no  passage  through  to 
other  rooms. 

Privacy.  This  requirement  can  be  met  by  the 
proper  provision  and  arrangement  of  the  furniture, 
which  will  be  further  treated  under  the  head  of  Tables. 
The  former  method  was  to  use  almost  exclusively  large 
open  tables,  seating  ten  or  more,  or  tables  with  length- 
wise and  crosswise  partitions,  setting  aside  bins  or  stalls 
like  voting  booths  to  shut  out  distracting  sights.  The 
large  plain  tables  are  not  now  in  favor,  the  tendency  be- 

1  30  L.  J.  Conf.  249.  2  3  P.  L.  284. 


308  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

ing  toward  tables  for  six,  four,  two,  or  even  one.  See 
floor  plans  and  interiors  of  libraries  in  Koch  and  else- 
where. 

Light.  Light  falling  from  the  left,  shaded  from  the 
eyes,  focussed  on  the  table  in  front  of  the  reader  on  the 
book  he  is  reading  there,  or  the  paper  on  which  he  is 
writing,  is  desirable.  If  the  room  is  lofty,  windows  high 
in  the  walls,  carefully  shaded  from  glare,  are  out  of 
range  of  reader's  eyes.  If  lower,  as  most  rooms  are,  the 
table  seats  should  be  so  disposed  if  possible  as  to  give 
each  reader  light  from  the  left. 

The  question  of  artificial  light  is  discussed  elsewhere. 
The  best  of  high  lamps  for  diffused  light,  of  side  lights 
and  of  hanging  lamps  to  light  readers,  is  a  special  study 
for  the  architect.  As  readers  have  varied  eyesight, 
individual  table  lights,  adjustable  and  severally  operated 
are  best  on  the  whole,  but  the  wiring  of  each  table  fixes 
its  location  so  that  it  cannot  be  moved  in  cleaning  or 
re-spacing.  Bulbs  hanging  about  eight  feet  from  the 
floor  are  much  used. 

Good  Air.  This  is  as  important  as  it  often  is  unsatis- 
factory. Bad  air  interferes  more  than  anything  else 
with  clearness  and  concentration  of  thought.  Mr. 
Ranck  of  Grand  Rapids  is  now  chairman  of  an  A.  L.  A. 
Committee  on  this  subject.  He  writes  me:  "Person- 
ally, the  more  I  have  looked  into  it,  the  more  I  am  con- 
vinced that  the  physiological  side  is  most  difficult,  not 
the  mere  keeping  down  the  amount  of  carbon  dioxide. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  it  will  be  necessary  to  make  a 
number  of  experimental  tests  to  determine  these  points." 
The  report  of  this  committee  will  be  interesting. 

Meanwhile,  the  best  thing  to  do  is  to  get  a  report  from 
recent  buildings  as  to  their  methods,  and  the  success  of 
each.  Evidently  the  problem  varies  with  the  size  and 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  309 

situation    of     the    room    and    the   method    of    heating, 
including  heat  from  artificial  light. 

If  perfect  ventilation  could  be  installed,  crowded 
tables  would  not  be  quite  so  bad. 

Space.  H.  T.  Hare,  an  architect,  in  a  recent  number 
of  the  Library  Association  Record,1  writes:  "Almost  all 
our  public  libraries  are  too  closely  packed  for  comfort, 
health  and  movement.  A  fifty  per  cent  increase  in  floor 
space  would  not  be  at  all  extravagant." 

If  there  is  money  to  spare,  this  might  be  desirable, 
but  unfortunately  few  libraries,  large  or  small,  have 
funds  enough  to  allow  luxuries.  The  spacing  of  seats 
must  be  as  close  as  health  and  convenience  will  permit. 
It  is  generally  agreed  that  for  serious  reading,  which 
may  require  room  to  spread  books  open  and  to  lay 
manuscripts  beside  them,  25  square  feet  are  ample, 
20  square  feet  sufficient,  16  square  feet  rather  a  crowded 
minimum,  to  include  chair,  table  and  passageways. 

As  to  size,  Duff-Brown2  suggests  finding  the  daily  aver- 
age of  readers  and  plan  for  one  quarter  of  this  daily 
attendance  at  any  one  time  during  the  day,  as  sufficient 
space  to  allow. 

1  Vol.  8,  p.  149.  2  p.  83. 


310  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Reference  Room 

As  already  said  this  is  a  very  useful  room,  or  section 
of  a  room;  indeed  it  might  even  be  put  in  an  ante- 
room or  vestibule,  to  include  such  books  as  will  be  used 
for  quick  consultation,  but  never  for  reading.  It 
should  be  for  the  openest  and  speediest  access.  As 
Spofford  specifies,1  "It  would  include  encyclopaedias, 
dictionaries,  glossaries,  etc.,"  or  according  to  Fletcher,2 
"general  and  special  encyclopaedias  (such  as  music,  fine 
arts,  mechanics,  geography,  classical,  Biblical,  bio- 
graphical, etc.)"  Dr.  E.  C.  Richardson3  lays  down  that 
"at  least  a  small  selection  of  the  best  reference  books 
should  be  accessible  to  the  public." 

"Place  as  little  hindrance  as  may  be  to  the  busy  man 
who  runs  in  to  glance  at  the  dictionary,  directory,  or 
time-table."  — Bostwick.* 

This  room  need  not  be  as  large  as  either  of  the  other 
reading  rooms,  but  it  should  be  most  accessible,  near 
the  front  door,  near  the  desk,  near  the  catalog.  It 
should  have  wall  shelving  for  large  and  small  books, 
drawn  under  specifications  by  the  librarian,  for  just 
what  volumes  he  wants  to  display  there.  Revolving 
bookcases  are  convenient  here.  This  is  especially  the 
place  for  the  old-fashioned  ledge,  and  for  a  few  narrow 
tables  like  those  used  in  front  of  a  catalog  case,  with 
small,  light  chairs  or  stools;  just  as  little  furniture  as 

1  P.  L.  1876,  688.        2  p.  75.         3  18  L.  J.  254.        4  p.  66. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  311 

would  be  needed  for  taking  down  a  volume  at  a  time 
to  glance  at,  or  to  take  brief  notes  from.  How  many  it 
should  accommodate  at  once  depends  on  the  library 
and  its  use.  It  will  be  wanted,  in  brief  visits,  by  very 
many  of  the  visitors,  down  even  to  the  children  of  the 
higher  grades  of  the  schools. 

Although  one  of  the  most  important  departments  of 
large  or  small  libraries,  it  is  not  the  place  for  high  walls 
or  architectural  ornament.  It  should  have  especially 
good  light  at  all  points  day  and  evening,  for  the  type 
of  many  reference  books  is  so  small  as  to  try  the  eye- 
sight at  its  best. 

If  there  is  not  space  in  the  building  for  a  separate 
room,  put  it,  if  possible,  in  the  same  room  with  open- 
access  shelves,  or  the  magazines,  or  in  a  corridor,  where 
there  is  already  some  confusion;  for  the  use  of  reference 
books  is  a  distraction  to  serious  reading  anywhere  near. 
If  they  must  be  put  in  the  reading  room,  give  the  reference 
books  a  stretch  of  shelving  or  a  corner  near  the  entrance 
and  desk,  so  that  their  consultation  will  leave  serious 
readers  afar  off  and  undisturbed. 

Might  not  a  good  arrangement  of  a  reference  room 
be  on  the  window  side  of  the  delivery  or  open-access 
room,  with  broad  alcoves  opposite  the  light,  and  with 
a  good  ledge  under  the  windows;  or  just  with  floor 
cases  perpendicular  to  the  windows,  spaced  wide  like 
open-access  shelves,  but  having  old-fashioned  ledges  to 
help  consultation  of  reference  books?  Here  is  oppor- 
tunity for  ingenious  planning. 

Standard  Library.  Mr.  Foster's  plan  of  a  Standard 
Library  room  at  Providence  has  something  to  commend 
it  from  an  educational  or  didactic  point  of  view,  but 
it  would  hardly  be  much  missed  by  the  public.  In  new 


312  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

buildings  where  all  available  space  is  in  demand  for 
more  imperative  needs,  I  doubt  if  I  should  include  such 
a  room,  unless  already  adopted  as  part  of  the  policy  of 
the  library.  If  it  is,  however,  to  be  included  it  should 
have  an  architectural  dignity  —  not  necessarily  splendid 
-  to  conform  to  its  purpose.  Why  might  not  this  be 
combined  with  the  trustees'  room?  The  bindings  of 
the  books  would  adorn  the  walls,  and  make  the  room  a 
worthy  meeting  place  of  the  board  at  evening,  without 
interfering  with  what  I  imagine  is  not  an  eager  or 
crowded  use  by  the  public  during  the  day. 

Or,  if  its  object  be  not  quiet  reading,  but  to  bring  the 
books  prominently  to  notice,  to  exhibit  them,  why  not 
treat  it  as  an  open  access  or  club  room,  open  to  con- 
versation? Would  not  this  further  its  primary  object, 
attract  visitors,  and  promote  taking  these  volumes 
home  or  into  quiet  reading  rooms  to  read? 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  313 


Light-Reading  Rooms 

Half-hourreading.1  This  is  generally  called  Magazine 
or  Periodical  room  in  our  libraries,  but  I  should  include 
in  it  some  provision  for  casual  reading  of  books  also. 
In  1903  I  suggested  at  an  Atlantic  City  Conference, 
shelving  in  such  rooms  for  a  class  of  books  every  library 
owns,  but  usually  scatters  under  various  classifications, 
although  their  common  purpose  is  for  episodical  or 
temporary  entertainment,  such  as  is  known  as  "half- 
hour  reading."  On  this  shelving  I  advocated  placing 
a  good  selection  of  the  best  short  stories,  readable 
essays,  anthologies,  brief  poems,  humor,  and  so  on,  to 
be  read  in  the  room,  just  as  magazines  are  used,  for  such 
pastime  as  the  reader's  time  will  afford. 

"Three-quarters  of  the  readers  are  destitute  of  literary 
culture,  but  need  recreation  and  pastime."  —  Winsor? 

My  suggestion  then  evoked  interest,  but  I  do  not 
know  that  it  has  been  acted  on  anywhere.  I  renew  it 
here  as  a  use  for  wall  shelving  in  periodical  rooms  for 
new  buildings,  and  in  concentrating  there  all  recreative 
reading.  In  this  light-reading  room  a  certain  amount 
of  movement  and  noise  must  be  expected,  which  will 
not  much  annoy  the  readers  there.  The  coming  and 
going  of  visitors  whose  stay  must  be  brief,  the  handling 
of  magazines  or  books,  the  turning  of  pages,  the  rustling 
of  newspapers,  perhaps  the  murmurs  of  children  over 
illustrations,  are  to  be  expected.  Here  such  wall  shelv- 
ing as  has  been  suggested  would  not  be  out  of  place. 

iSee  Symposium,  L.  J.  1894  Conf.  42.  2  P.  L.  1876,  431 

See  H.  P.  James,  L.  J.  1896  Conf.  49. 


314  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Periodicals.  Here  are  kept  such  few  local  and 
metropolitan  newspapers  as  are  taken  by  the  average 
library.  Magazines  and  weeklies  either  lie  freely  on 
large  flat  tables  or  are  kept  for  open  access  in  wooden 
pigeon-holes  or  pockets  against  the  walls  without  inter- 
vention of  any  attendant,  or  are  kept  behind  a  counter 
to  be  issued  by  a  special  attendant  on  call.  Where 
there  are  many  readers  and  a  large  number  of  serials, 
experience  has  shown  that  it  is  better  to  keep  them  in 
pigeon-holes  behind  a  counter,  to  be  delivered  by  an 
attendant. 

"Where  not  a  large  number  of  periodicals  is  taken, 
they  are  usually  placed  on  tables  without  a  special 
attendant."  —  Poole.1 

The  furniture  of  the  room  and  its  arrangement  will 
depend  on  which  system  is  to  be  used  in  the  library. 
This  should  be  settled  in  advance. 

The  chairs  used  here  should  be  strong,  but  light ;  rubber- 
tipped  so  as  to  be  noiseless  when  moved.  Except  in 
looking  at  illustrated  papers,  readers  may  prefer  to  hold 
octavo  magazines,  or  books,  in  their  hands,  turning  their 
chairs  back  or  side  to  the  light,  in  the  easiest  posture. 
Arm  chairs  for  such  use  would  be  appropriate. 

It  is  not  supposed  to  be  necessary  to  allow  so  much 
floor  space  for  each  reader  in  such  rooms.  Duff-Brown  2 
considers  12  square  feet  enough  in  England,  but  our 
usage  in  America  is  16  square  feet,  which  is  better 
for  elbow  room,  passage  and  ventilation. 

"In  rooms  for  magazine  reading,  there  should  be 
more  room  for  chairs  than  tables."  —  Champneys*  This 
seems  good  advice,  unless  the  periodicals  are  to  be  laid 
loose  on  the  tables. 

1  P.  L.  1876,  p.  484.  2  p.  409.  3  p.  45. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  315 

It  is  often  the  custom  to  put  reviews  and  other  serious 
magazines  in  the  reading  room,  leaving  all  the  popular 
or  recreative  serials  in  the  room  for  light  reading. 

There  are  frequent  articles  in  English  library  journals 
about  arrangement  of  magazines,  but  I  find  nothing 
among  them  which  seems  to  improve  on  methods 
generally  understood  here.  See  Duff-Brown.1 

"A  really  effective  system  of  displaying  periodicals 
is  about  as  difficult  to  find  as  a  first  folio  Shakespeare." 
—  Burgoyne? 

The  few  newspapers  taken  are  generally  mounted  on 
sticks  and  hung  from  racks,  though  I  have  seen  them 
left  loose  on  tables.  - 

1  p.  382.  2  4  Lib.  Asst.  197. 


316  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Newspaper  Room 

In  English  libraries  this  department  seems  prominent 
in  all  buildings,  large  and  small.  "The  English  news- 
room is  generally  the  largest  and  most  convenient  room 
in  the  building."  In  America,  a  few  newspapers  are 
kept  in  the  light-reading  room,  but  only  large  public 
libraries  have  separate  rooms  for  newspapers.  Where  a 
considerable  collection  is  kept,  a  large  room  will  be  re- 
quired, with  single  sloping  desks  against  the  walls  or 
double  desks  on  the  floor,  with  or  without  stools;  or 
sometimes  the  papers  are  hung  on  the  hooks  of  racks, 
and  used  at  tables  (with  chairs)  close  by. 

The  newspaper  room  may  be  put  in  the  basement 
with  a  separate  entrance,  as  its  use  and  supervision  are 
generally  separate  from  other  uses  of  the  library. 

"Newspaper  and  magazine  rooms  should  not  be  too 
large;  two  30  x  50  are  much  less  noisy  than  one  50  x  60, 
less  draughty  and  easier  to  ventilate."  — -Burgoyne.1 

The  opinion  expressed  by  Dr.  Poole  in  the  United 
States  Public  Library  Report  of  1876,2  "It  is  thought 
in  some  librariec  that  the  expense  of  newspapers  could 
be  better  applied  to  some  other  purposes,"  seems  to  be 
echoed  in  recent  discussions  in  England.  See  The  Li- 
brary Assistant,  Vol.  4.3  A  moderate  view  advanced 
at  one  meeting  was  this:  "It  is  exceedingly  doubtful 

1  2d  Int.  Lib.  Conf.  1907,  p.  103.  2  p.  484. 

3  pp.  157,  168,  169,  226,  233. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  317 

whether  a  newsroom  is  justified  in  towns  with  a  popula- 
tion under  45,000."  The  matter  is  well  summed  up  in 
the  Library  Association  Record.1  Reading  the  debates, 
and  weighing  the  arguments  pro  and  con,  does  not  lead 
•  one  to  recommend  planners  of  American  libraries  to  pro- 
vide more  space  for  newspapers  than  it  is  customary 
to  allow  with  us:  a  rack  or  two  in  small  and  medium 
libraries,  for  local  papers  and  one  or  two  metropolitan 
journals,  but  no  separate  newspaper  rooms  except  in  the 
public  libraries  of  large  cities.  Even  there,  I  imagine 
their  use  is  more  for  reference  and  information  than  it 
seems  to  be  in  England.  Champneys2  calls  the  newspaper 
reader  "a  professional  loafer." 

However,  "In  libraries  where  the  newspaper  room  is 
somewhat  inaccessible,  there  is  little  annoyance  from 
the  tramp  element.  Branch  library  reading  rooms  in 
New  York  City,  put  on  the  third  story  for  lack  of  suffi- 
cient space  below,  are  almost  entirely  free  from  tramps. 
People  willing  to  climb  to  that  story  really  want  to 
read."  - — -Bostwick? 

This  fact  is  worth  noting  in  planning  large  libraries. 
1  Vol.  12,  pp.  336,  337.  2  p.  130.  3  p.  68. 


318  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Children's  Room 

This  depaftment,  now  considered  a  cardinal  necessity 
in  all  libraries  great  or  small,  is  a  development  of  the 
last  generation.  No  special  rooms  were .  devoted  to 
this  purpose  before  1890.  "Today  it  is  tending  to  be  a 
practically  separate  library,  with  its  own  books,  circu- 
lation, catalogues,  statistics  and  staff."  —  (Bostwick.1) 
So  great  a  success  has  it  become,  that  a  library  without 
special  provision  for  children  would  now  be  a  curiosity. 

In  the  smallest  libraries,  with  only  one  room,  separate 
tables  and  shelves  are  set  aside  for  children.  As  libra- 
ries grow  in  grade,  separate  rooms  are  provided  with 
special  attendants  as  well.  Here  the  shelving,  tables 
and  chairs  are  lower,  often  of  two  or  three  suitable  sizes. 

The  idea  at  the  outset  was  to  segregate  children  so 
that  their  motion  and  chatter  should  not  annoy  adults 
who  were  using  the  library;  now  the  notion  is  entirely 
educational,  to  catch  and  interest  young  children, 
so  that  they  will  contiune  to  use  the  library  as  they 
grow  up.  There  are  even  separate  rooms  for  smaller 
tots,  on  the  kindergarten  idea  of  attracting  them  with 
pictures  before  they  begin  to  read.  This  purpose  is 
furthered  by  having  suitable  pictures  on  the  walls. 
Rooms  are  also  fitted  up  for  small  audiences  to  whom 
stories  are  read  or  told. 

Although  children  are  only  expected  for  a  few  hours 
every  day,  they  are  apt  to  swarm  at  those  hours.  The 
room  or  rooms  so  used  ought  to  be  at  the  same  time  home- 
like, cozy,  attractive,  and  also  well  ventilated.  The 
ground  floor  is  the  best  place,  though  the  basement  has 

1  p.  78. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  319 

often  to  be  used,  in  default  of  room  above,  and  children 
have  been  sent  up  one  flight  of  stairs,  because  they  are 
better  able  to  climb  than  adults.  The  stairs  and  hand 
rails  should  in  this  case  conform  to  children's  stature. 
If  they  can  be  shut  off  from  the  reading  room  by  sound- 
proof partitions,  quiet  is  preserved  for  the  readers. 
Children  are  apt  to  be  restless  and  murmurous  if  not 
noisy.  "Children  do  not  mind  noise  and  crowding; 
adults  do."  In.  large  buildings  separate  entrances  are 
provided  for  children. 

Special  reference  rooms  are  even  provided  in  some 
libraries,  and  in  the  largest  buildings  teachers'  rooms 
adjoin,  so  as  to  bring  all  school  influences  into  the  same 
suite  and  system. 

Bostwick1  advises  (why?)  that  shelving  should  be 
confined  to  the  walls  if  possible. 

In  planning,  the  librarian  should  determine  the  scheme 
he  will  adopt  for  treating  this  problem,  and  a  room  or 
portion  of  a  room  or  a  suite  of  rooms  should  be  assigned 
and  fitted  after  the  latest  and  most  approved  manner. 

Discussion  is  still  active,  and  new  methods  are  de- 
veloped yearly  with  constantly  improving  conveniences. 

In  England  this  movement  appears  to  be  viewed 
with  some  distrust.  Duff-Brown2  speaks  of  "the  epi- 
demic raging  in  the  United  States."  But  he  devotes 
four  paragraphs  to  it,  and  Champneys3  three  pages. 
The  latter,  quoting  Clay's  School  Buildings,  gives  an 
interesting  formula  of  heights  of  seats  and  tables  for 
children  of  different  ages,  though  he  thinks  it  difficult 
to  get  the  small  children  to  use  low  tables  and  the  re- 
verse. He  also  specifies  the  need  of  low  hand  rails  for 
children  on  stairs;  even  two  rails,  one  for  adults,  one  for 
children. 

See  Marvin,  pp.  12,  17, 18;  Dana,  Lib  Pr.,  167;  Bost- 
wick, 78, 85;  L.J.1897,p.l81;  Conf.  19,28;  10  P.  L.  346. 
1  p.  94.  2  P.  390.  3  p.  89. 


320  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Women's  Rooms 

The  separation  of  boys  and  girls,  usually  by  a  low 
hand  rail,  is  favored  in  children's  rooms,  by  obvious 
parallelism  with  school  customs,  but  the  separation  of 
men  and  women  into  different  rooms  has  never  been 
common  in  America,  although  separate  tables  are  some- 
times assigned  to  "the  use  of  ladies."  But  no  "woman's 
room"  is  a  necessity  to  consider  in  planning.  In  England 
it  has  been  different.  Duff-Brown 1  reports  eighty 
women's  rooms  among  over  four  hundred  public  libraries 
there,  but  he  pronounces  them  unnecessary.  Champ- 
neys  2  also  thinks  them  "an  indifferent  success."  "Ex- 
perience has  proved  that  a  separate  room  for  women  is 
unnecessary."  —  (Burgoyne.3)  If  that  is  the  verdict 
where  they  have  been  extensively  tried,  there  seems  to 
be  no  good  precedent  for  wasting  space  on  them  in 
American  libraries. 

In  various  discussions  of  this  subject,  it  has  been 
stated  that  women  sometimes  use  tables  set  aside  for 
them,  but  not  special  rooms,  and  that  such  rooms  require 
closer  supervision,  because  the  few  who  use  them  are 
more  apt  to  mutilate  or  deface  books  and  periodicals 
than  any  other  class  of  readers. 

1  p.  387.  2  p.  88.  3  8  Lib.  Asso.  Record,  p.  179. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  321 


The  Blind 

See  Bostwick's  chapter  on  "Libraries  for  the  Blind."  l 
"Books  for  the  blind  are  handled  by  a  public  library 
in  much  the  same  way  as  those  for  the  seeing.  It  is 
common  to  have  a  separate  department  or  suite  of 
rooms,  but  this  is  not  necessary.  .  .  .  Owing  to  the 
size  of  the  books,  shelving  for  them  is  of  unusual  depth. 
.  .  .  Free  access  to  the  shelves  is  as  valuable  to  a  blind 
reader  as  to  one  who  has  the  use  of  his  eyes." 

"The  question  of  space  will  arise  in  many  places.  No 
space  could,  however,  be  devoted  to  a  more  humane 
and  valuable  purpose  than  the  storage  of  books  for  the 
blind,  and  every  encouragement  and  support  should  be 
given  to  the  movement."  —  Duff -Brown? 

Because  of  the  space  required,  very  careful  considera- 
tion should  be  given  by  the  building  committee  as  to 
how  much  space  the  conditions  of  their  community  will 
allow  them  to  give  to  such  special  wants.  If  they 
decide  to  have  rooms  for  the  blind,  these  ought  to  be, 
if  possible,  near  an  entrance  from  the  street  level.  In 
regard  to  dimensions,  shelving,  etc.,  the  librarian  would 
best  inquire  of  some  library  of  the  same  grade  and  class. 
Experience  is  the  best  teacher,  and  the  local  treatment 
of  this  subject  must  be  denned  and  specially  planned  for. 

1  p.  316.  2  p.  158. 


322  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Special  Rooms 

Small  libraries  have  no  space  for  differentiation.  One 
room,  or  a  few  rooms,  must  be  divided  by  rails,  low 
bookcases,  or  glass  partitions,  into  the  functions  they 
can  manage  to  separate.  But  as  a  library  enlarges,  and 
grows  to  other  stories,  it  finds  many  advantages  in  segre- 
gating different  classes  of  books  and  readers,  thus 
approaching  Dr.  Poole's  plan  of  separate  reading  rooms, 
or  the  department  plan  in  universities.  Even  before 
any  such  activities  have  grown  enough  to  occupy  a  full 
room,  any  space  in  a  new  plan  which  can  be  spared  may 
well  be  marked  "unassigned." 

Some  of  these  rooms  are  used  in  all  public  libraries 
of  all  sizes  except  the  smallest;  some  of  them  are  desir- 
able in  many  other  classes  of  libraries. 

These  rooms,  in  about  the  order  of  need,  as  libraries 
grow,  are,  — 

(1)  Local  Literature,  (9)  Education, 

(2)  Study,  (10)  Lectures, 

(3)  Classes,  (11)  Exhibitions, 

(4)  Patents,  Science,  (12)  Pamphlets, 

Useful  Arts,  (13)   Bound  Serials, 

(5)  Public  Documents,  (14)  Special  Collections, 

(6)  Art:  Prints,  (15)   Information, 

(7)  Music,  (16)   Conversation, 

(8)  Maps,  (17)   Unassigned. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  323 

These  rooms,  except  Information,  do  not  demand 
ground-floor  space,  but  can  be  assigned  to  upper  floors. 
In  a  large  library,  they  will  be  accessible  by  elevators 
anywhere;  in  a  two-story  library,  or  even  in  one  of  three 
stories  with  easy  flights  of  stairs,  the  fewer  readers  who 
want  to  use  them  may  be  asked  to  climb  rather  than 
the  larger  throngs  of  general  readers  or  borrowers  of 
books. 

Local  Literature.  I  take  up  this  first,  because  even 
a  very  small  library  may  begin  a  collection,  if  only  part 
of  a  shelf  can  be  given  to  it.  "In  a  small  place,"  says 
Bostwick,1  "the  library  may  go  as  far  in  such  directions 
as  its  resources  warrant,  and  even  without  financial 
ability,  it  may  stimulate  sufficient  interest  to  secure 
volunteer  helpers."  If  you  have  or  can  get  to  look  at 
Duff-Brown,2  see  his  specification  of  the  books,  etc.,  a 
library  may  include  in  a  "local  collection."  Everything 
local  in  the  way  of  printed  matter,  is  his  summary. 
See  a  series  of  articles  in  The  Library  Asso.  Rec.,  Vol.  7, 
1905,  pp.  1  to  30,  and  Vol.  13,  p.  268.  This  is  an  English 
example  well  worth  following. 

A  local  collection  may  include,  besides  books  and 
pamphlets,  maps,  prints,  even  pictures,  for  which 
hanging  space  will  be  needed  on  the  walls.  Indeed,  if  a 
local  antiquarian  society  can  be  drawn  in  as  assistant 
handlers  and  curators,  such  a  collection  may  assume  a 
museum  phase,  and  may  need  low  bookcases  for  books, 
with  ledges  above  for  models  and  busts,  cupboards  for 
pamphlets  and  small  objects,  even  glass  cases  for  relics. 
It  should  have  floor  space  for  visitors  before  all  these 
cases,  and  a  large  table  and  chairs  for  committee  meet- 
ings. It  is  one  of  the  rooms  which  might  be  shared  by 
the  trustees  where  accommodations  are  restricted. 
There  is  ample  opportunity  for  special  planning  in  such 
1  p.  306.  2  p.  153,  §  186. 


324  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

a  room,  in  accordance  with  the  policies  of  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  library. 

Study  Rooms.  Here  again  the  smallest  libraries 
cannot  spare  special  facilities.  All  users  must  share  the 
limited  space  available.  But  when  they  get  beyond  the 
one  room  or  one  floor  stage,  some  corners  or  intervals 
between  other  departments,  or  ends  of  corridors,  or 
mezzanine  rooms,  might  be  found  for  private  rooms,  to 
be  used  for  individuals,  either  alone  or  with  one  scribe 
or  typewriter.  Even  in  small  towns,  there  are  culti- 
vated citizens,  or  professional  people,  or  teachers,  or 
reporters,  even  authors,  who  wish  to  use  books,  and 
prepare  manuscripts  alone,  and  can  safely  be  trusted 
to  do  so  without  supervision.  How  great  a  service 
such  rooms  might  do  in  any  American  community,  I 
do  not  think  is  generally  recognized. 

"It  is  the  library  alone  that  can  furnish  inventors, 
investigators,  and  students  of  all  kinds  the  opportunity 
to  forestall  wasteful  effort."  — Bostwick.1 

For  individuals,  such  rooms  can  be  small,  and  low, 
of  almost  any  form,  simply  furnished  with  one  small 
table  and  two  chairs,  with  shelves  at  one  side  or  end  for 
a  few  books,  and  one  window,  not  necessarily  large,  but 
giving  good  light  on  the  table. 

"A  large  room  with  stalls,  or  a  series  of  small  rooms 
with  shelves,  for  students  making  protracted  investiga- 
tions and  needing  to  keep  books  several  days."  — 
Winsor? 

Duff-Brown,  however,  thinks  that  students'  rooms 
only  establish  another  "privileged  class,"  and  make 
further  demands  upon  the  staff  for  service  and  oversight. 

Rooms  for  Classes.  In  close  connection  with  the 
last  idea  (indeed  rooms  might  be  interchanged  for  use 

1  p.  66.  2  P.  L.  1876,  p.  471. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  325 

either  several  and  collective),  are  the  many  classes, 
clubs,  associations,  etc.,  in  the  community  so  closely 
connected  with  the  use  of  books  that  the  library  ought 
to  offer  them  whatever  hospitality  its  space  can  afford. 

"The  modern  public  library  is  the  helpful  friend  of 
scientific,  art,  and  historical  societies,  of  the  educational 
labor  organizations,  of  city  improvement  organizations,  of 
teachers'  clubs,  parents'  societies,  and  women's  clubs.  At 
the  library  should  be  rooms  suitable  for  their  gatherings." 

"One  of  the  most  important  things  in  a  library  of  any 
size  is  a  room  where  a  class  can  be  met  by  their  teacher, 
and  not  interfere  with  the  regular  work  of  the  library." 
—  C.A.  Cutter.1 

"Study  clubs,  reading  circles,  extension  teaching,  and 
other  allied  agents."  —  Dewey. 

See  liberal  and  well-lighted  group  of  "seminar  rooms" 
in  the  Wisconsin  State  Historical  Society  plans. — Adams.2 

In  a  paper  by  Arthur  E.  Bostwick  (which  I  happened 
upon  in  an  English  periodical3),  there  is  this  interesting 
account  of  the  various  uses  of  rooms  in  branch  libraries 
at  St.  Louis:  "Each  has  an  assembly  room  and  one  or 
more  club  rooms,  which  are  loaned  free  to  any  organiza- 
tions desiring  to  use  them  for  intellectual  advancement, 
or  for  legitimate  forms  of  recreation,  such  as  women's 
clubs,  chess  clubs,  groups  of  working  men,  socialists, 
classes  in  literature  and  philosophy,  self-culture,  and 
reading  circles,  art  or  handicraft  societies,  athletic  clubs, 
dramatic  clubs,  military  organizations,  ecclesiastical 
bodies,  the  Boy  Scouts,  high  school  alumni,  English 
classes  for  immigrants,  D.  A.  R.,  etc."  I  imagine  that 
most  trustees  would  draw  the  line  far  short  of  the  "etc.," 
but  the  list  indicates  to  what  length  libraries  are  going 
on  social  and  sociological  lines,  for  which  provision 
must  be  made  in  building. 
16  L.  J.  Conf.,  no.  104.  2  p.  192.  3  13  Libr.  Asso.  Record,  206. 


326  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Rooms  for  this  purpose  may  be  plainly  painted  and 
plainly  furnished,  but  should  be  adequately  high,  especi- 
ally well  ventilated  and  made  cheerful  by  color  and 
light.  How  to  define  their  sizes  wo*uld  be  a  matter  for 
the  local  librarian  to  guess  at,  with  his  line  of  activities 
well  mapped  out.  Where  so  much  work  beyond  mere 
reading  is  to  be  done,  there  should  be  at  least  one  siza- 
ble lecture  room  (the  basement  would  do) ,  one  or  more 
large  rooms  divisible  by  screens  into  several  smaller 
rooms,  and  as  many  smaller  rooms  with  sound-proof 
provisions  as  space  would  allow. 

Patents,  Science,  Useful  Arts.  In  industrial  com- 
munities a  room  or  suite  of  rooms  for  the  literature  of 
science  and  the  useful  arts,  including  sets  of  English 
and  American  patent  specifications,  will  be  found  useful. 
Winsor  l  emphasized  the  necessity  of  providing  for  rapid 
growth  in  this  department,  at  that  time  "150  large  vol- 
umes a  year." 

A  small  library  may  properly  shelve  such  scientific 
books  as  would  especially  benefit  its  working  constitu- 
ency, but  could  not  think  of  patent  reports.  This  is  a 
luxury  for  the  large  libraries  only,  with  present  and 
prospective  space  to  spare.  Floor  space  is  necessary 
for  readers,  with  tables  large  and  plentiful  enough  for 
many  large  volumes  and  plates  outspread.  Shelf  room 
is  needed  around  the  walls  or  in  alcoves,  on  the  ground 
floor  for  the  octavos,  above  for  the  larger  books.  Where 
the  stories  of  the  building  have  been  already  made 
lofty  (it  would  not  be  necessary  to  have  them  lofty  for 
this  room  alone),  a  favorite  form  has  recurred  to  the 
first  American  "typical  plan,"  to  have  around  the 
walls  tiers  of  alcoves  and  galleries  combined,  about 
the  only  place  this  discredited  arrangement  survives. 

1  P.  L.  1876,  471. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  327 

Where  the  height  of  stories  does  not  invite  this  form, 
such  rooms  can  well  take  a  frequent  law  library  phase, 
with  tables  near  front  windows  and  combinations  of 
wall  shelving  and  wall  cases  opposite  the  windows, 
narrow  alcoves  as  it  were,  for  book  storage,  but  not  for 
readers. 

Here  seems  an  excellent  opportunity  to  install  some 
form  of  the  new  sliding  cases,  say  a  row  of  such  cases 
along  an  inner  blind  wall,  with  tables  and  chairs  toward 
the  windows. 

Public  Documents.  "Pub.  Docs."  are  a  burden  on 
all  libraries.  They  are  the  first  gift  to  small  village 
libraries,  the  accumulating  gifts  to  growing  libraries,  the 
incubus  on  large  libraries,  and  yet  all  feel  obliged  to 
keep  at  least  part  of  them.  Some  of  the  national  and 
state  publications  are  very  valuable,  when  distributed 
throughout  the  classes  to  which  they  belong;  but  of  the 
large  mass  of  records  which  ought  to  be  preserved  some- 
where, what  shall  be  retained,  and  where  shall  it  be 
kept? 

"Do  not  waste  time,  in  the  early  days  of  the  library, 
in   securing   public   documents,    save   a   few   of   purely 
local  value.     Take  them  if  offered  and  store  them." 
Dana.1 

See  the  sensible  suggestions  of  Bostwick:2  "Govern- 
ment documents  are  a  bugbear  to  many  libraries.  .  .  . 
We  have  some  getting  more  than  they  want,  others 
that  have  to  buy  them.  The  library  of  moderate  size, 
not  a  repository,  is  inclined  to  disregard  all  government 
publications,  which  is  a  pity.  The  large  library  will 
shelve  everything." 

A  serious  problem  in  planning  is  where  to  stow  this 
superfluity  without  interfering  with  essentials. 
1  L.  Pr.  48.  2  p.  71. 


328  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

In  an  old  house  closets,  upper  stories  and  dry  cellars 
can  be  fitted  with  fixed  wooden  shelving  (for  the  sets  are 
of  uniform  or  similar  sizes),  some  for  octavos,  some  for 
quartos.  New  buildings  may  have  a  room  or  rooms 
assigned  almost  anywhere  out  of  the  way,  even  in  the 
center  of  cellar  or  attic,  with  only  artificial  light.  If  the 
original  or  duplicates  of  the  most  important  volumes  are 
shelved  under  subjects  elsewhere,  the  use  of  pub.  docs, 
will  be  so  infrequent  that  their  location  is  a  subordinate 
question. 

How  much  space  to  assign  is  a  question  that  depends 
on  the  circumstances  and  policy  of  the  library;  for 
instance,  whether  it  is  keeping  United  States,  state  and 
foreign  government  issues ;  or  only  one  or  part  of  one. 
In  a  small  library  a  closet  or  an  obscure  corner  will  do. 
In  a  larger  library,  a  dry  part  of  the  basement  or  cellar 
is  enough.  In  a  very  large  library,  wherever  space 
can  be  best  spared. 

Here  again  sliding  cases  may  come  into  play. 

How  much  space  this  literature  may  occupy  is  indi- 
cated in  the  L.  C.  Report  of  1901, l  which  states  that 
there  were  87,654  volumes  under  this  head  in  the  Library 
of  Congress  at  that  date,  besides  12,442  state  "Session 
laws." 

Duplicates.  A  room  for  laying  aside  duplicates  is 
needed  in  all  libraries  large  enough  to  have  them.  It 
needs  as  much  rough  wooden  wall  or  floor  shelving  as 
the  number  or  prospective  number  of  duplicates  de- 
mands, and  can  be  put  in  cellar,  basement,  attic,  or  in 
any  place  not  needed  by  the  more  active  departments. 
It  is  one  of  the  rooms  that  do  not  absolutely  need  good 
natural  light,  because  it  is  not  to  be  used  by  readers 
or  the  public. 

1  P.  327. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  329 

There  should,  however,  be  space  enough  for  ready 
access  to  the  books  by  attendants,  and  light  enough 
for  inspection.  If  there  is  to  be  any  attempt  made  at 
systematic  and  continued  exchange  of  duplicates  with 
other  libraries,  this  space  and  light  will  be  more  needed 
than  if  storage  only  is  required. 

As  handling,  access  and  inspection  may  be  required 
at  any  moment,  this  class  of  books  seems  hardly  adapted 
to  sliding-case  shelving. 

Art.  Small  libraries  cannot  spare  a  separate  room  for 
this  literature.  But  in  many  buildings  in  aesthetic 
communities  of  no  great  size,  an  "Art  Room"  is  set 
aside  before  other  extra  departments  attain  the  dignity 
of  separation.  Often  a  suite  of  rooms  is  assigned  to 
the  ornamental  arts,  Art,  Prints  and  Photographs, 
Architecture,  etc.  Here,  if  anywhere,  some  elaboration 
in  cases,  shelving  and  furniture,  in  harmony  with  the 
motive,  is  excusable.  The  rooms  surely  should  be  most 
attractive  in  form  and  color.  The  bindings  in  them- 
selves of  books  of  these  classes  are  usually  decorative. 

An  unusual  proportion  of  the  shelving  should  be  de- 
signed for  large  quartos  and  folios,  to  be  laid  flat  and 
handled  with  care;  part  of  the  shelves,  at  least,  with 
rollers. 

Glazed  bookcases  preserve  valuable  books  from  dust 
and  grime.  Sliding  doors  leave  them  accessible.  Large 
tables  or  desks  or  sloping  ledges,  with  specially  good 
light,  are  needed. 

The  location  of  such  rooms  should  be  prominent.  No 
space  can  usually  be  spared  on  the  ground  floor,  but  a 
second  floor,  with  ample,  dignified,  easy  stairs,  is  an 
excellent  location,  and  the  top  floor  superb,  as  it  allows 
good  top  light  without  interfering  with  wall  space  for 


330  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

shelving  and  engravings  above.  Especially  is  this  floor 
appropriate,  if  its  center  is  allotted  to  an  exhibition 
room  on  whose  walls  or  in  whose  cases  public  exhibi- 
tions of  the  library's  artistic  prints  and  portfolios  can 
be  occasionally  held. 

Prints.  Bostwick1  says,  "A  department  of  the  pub- 
lic library  that  is  increasing  in  interest,  and  that  may  be 
said  to  be  partly  art  collection,  partly  repository  of 
useful  information  in  pictorical  form,  is  the  print  depart- 
ment. .  .  .  Such  collections  are  of  value"  (to  eight 
specified  classes  of  readers). 

This  use  should  be  considered  in  planning  an  art  room 
or  suite. 

See  fine  photographic  view  of  the  Division  of  Prints 
in  L.  C.  Report  1901 ,2  which  will  suggest  ideas  of  ar- 
rangement. 

Public  Photographing.  "  In  connection  with  such  a 
suite,  in  libraries  where  visitors  are  allowed  to  make 
copies,  a  small  room  fitted  for  photographing,  with  an 
adjoining  dark  room,  would  be  a  convenience.  In  the 
largest  libraries  copies  might  be  made  for  users  at  their 
cost."  —Burgoyne.3 

Bernard  R.  Green  writes  me,  from  the  Library  of 
Congress,  "Be  sure  to  emphasize  conveniences  for 
photographing  and  other  processes  of  copying." 

Dr.  Garnett  in  Essays  on  Librarianship  4  argues  that 
every  first  class  library  should  have  a  department  to 
reproduce  books  and  manuscripts  by  photography, 
managed  by  an  expert  on  permanent  salary,  with  a  com- 
plete equipment. 

Burgoyne,  in  The  Libr.  Asso.  Record,5  wishes  for  public 
use  in  large  libraries  "a  room  say  10  x  15  with  north  light, 
for  making  photographic  copies  of  prints  and  plates  so  that 
valuable  books  need  not  be  taken  from  the  premises." 

1  p.  308.        2  p.  270.        s  p.  94.        <  p.  234.       6  Vol.  8,  p.  184. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  331 

Music.  Small  libraries  cannot  afford  a  separate 
room  for  this  use.  Such  provision  as  is  necessary  can 
be  made  in  the  open  access  rooms  or  near  the  desk. 
Bostwick  remarks x  that  music  is  more  valuable  for 
circulation  than  for  reference,  sheets  of  music,  and 
collections,  being  usually  in  quarto  or  small  folio  size. 
Duff-Brown  advises2  that  it  be  shelved  with  uprights 
only  eighteen  inches  apart,  so  that  volumes  or  pieces 
will  support  each  other. 

As  the  collection  assumes  an  important  size,  and 
includes  sets  of  opera  scores  and  assembled  works,  it 
may  be  given  a  separate  room,  or  two  small  rooms,  with 
special  wall  shelving.  It  has  "become  somewhat  usual, 
in  large  libraries,  to  put  a  piano  here  for  trying  scores, 
and  phonographs  for  repeating  them.  When  this  is 
done,  the  room  or  one  of  the  rooms  should,  of  course, 
have  perfectly  sound-proof  partitions,  to  shut  off  sound 
from  other  departments. 

Provision  of  some  kind  must  be  considered  for  pianola 
rolls  and  phonographic  records. 

This  department  may  well  be  assigned  to  an  upper 
floor.  It  should,  of  course,  provide  shelving  for  the 
literature  of  music. 

Maps.  Any  small  library  may  have  atlases,  for 
which  special  shelving  must  be  provided.  An  economi- 
cal provision  can  be  made  by  putting  flat  shelving  under 
the  table  holding  the  catalog  case. 

A  separate  room  for  this  branch  of  literature,  which 
includes  bound  volumes,  loose  sheets,  wall  charts, 
globes,  etc.,  is  set  aside  only  in  large  libraries.  It  can- 
not be  expected  on  the  ground  floor,  but  might  be  on 
the  same  floor  with  Art,  as  it  requires  similar  height, 
arrangement,  light,  and  access. 

1  p.  71.  2  p.  155. 


332  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Maps  are  kept  in  three  forms,  as  in  volumes  (either 
coming  in  atlases,  or  bound  up  by  the  library)  or  in 
loose  sheets  or  on  rollers.  For  volumes,  sliding,  flat, 
and  upright  shelving  will'  provide  suitable  stowage. 
For  sheet  maps  or  charts,  large,  shallow  wooden  drawers 
in  dust-proof  cases,  sometimes  with  wooden  flaps  in 
front,  are  usual.  Patent  metallic  map-cases  are  better, 
but  more  expensive.  A  high  room  affords  wall  space 
for  such  charts  as  can  be  read  at  a  distance,  and  are 
frequently  used.  Wall  space  from  the  floor  up  should 
be  reserved  for  hanging  maps.  Andrews  and  others 
recommend  Jenkins'  Map  Roller.  For  using  maps  in 
any  form,  large  tables  in  the  centre  of  the  room  (trestle 
tables  will  do,  to  be  brought  in  when  wanted),  and  slop- 
ing desks  or  ledges  under  the  windows,  may  be  provided. 

As  sufficient  space  for  this  department  is  often  hard 
to  spare,  a  good  location  for  it  is  at  the  end  of  a  corridor. 
Here  doors  can  be  omitted,  and  the  corridor  space  can 
be  taken  into  the  room.  The  corridor  wall  opposite 
windows  is  a  fine  place  for  hanging  maps;  the  floor  of 
the  corridor,  for  globes  and  the  like. 

See  C.  W.  Andrews,1  Windsor,2  Bostwick,3  Duff- 
Brown,4  Champneys,6  The  Library  Assistant,  Vol.  8.6 
See  also  a  fine  view  of  the  Library  of  Congress  map 
room  in  their  1901  report.7  To  show  how  important  a 
department  this  may  become,  and  what  room  it  may 
occupy,  take  note  that  the  Library  of  Congress  has  2,600 
atlases  and  57,000  maps  and  charts. 

Education.  This  is  an  important  subject  in  large 
libraries,  and  may  even  demand  a  separate  room  in 
smaller  grades  where  there  is  much  school  work  done. 

1  8  P.  L.  22.  3  p.  69.  6  p.  42.  7  p.  263. 

2  35  L.  J.  509.  4  p.  158.  6  p.  188  et  seq. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  333 

A  simple  room  of  moderate  size  and  height,  simply 
furnished,  with  wall  shelving  or  floor  cases  for  pedagogic 
literature  will  answer  all  purposes  for  teachers,  commit- 
tees and  interested  citizens. 

Its  position  would  best  be  near  the  school  or  children's 
department,  using  the  same  entrance. 

It  might  also  be  used  for  teachers  with  classes,  for 
laying  out  and  sending  out  books  to  schools,  or  for  a 
school  reference  department. 

Indeed,  as  all  Art  rooms  may  properly  be  grouped 
together  and  assigned  to  the  same  floor,  all  rooms  con- 
nected with  children,  schools,  teachers,  or  education 
should  be  shared,  or  grouped  together  with  a  common 
entrance,  corridor,  or  stairway. 

Lectures.  There  seems  to  be  a  difference  of  opinion 
in  this  country  as  to  the  necessity  or  even  the  advisa- 
bility of  giving  up  space  to  assembly  rooms  or  lecture 
rooms. 

"In  a  small  building  an  assembly  room  is  a  nuisance," 
says  Bostwick.1  See,  however,  his  enumeration  quoted 
under  Rooms  for  Classes,2  of  the  uses  to  which  an 
assembly  room  has  been  put  in  a  St.  Louis  branch. 

In  England,  lecture  rooms  among  progressive  libraries 
are  considered  essential.3 

It  seems  to  me  that  a  part  of  the  basement,  in  all 
buildings  which  have  basements,  can  generally  be  spared 
for  a  fairly  large  room  to  be  put  to  a  variety  of  uses, 
which  even  if  not  directly  germane  to  the  use  of  books, 
are  proper  work  for  a  neighborhood  club,  which  is  what 
the  modern  small  or  branch  library  is  coming  to  be. 
A  fine  room  can  be  made  under  radial  bookcases. 

It  is  not  necessary,  or  wise  to  have  a  sloping  floor 
such  as  is  used  in  colleges  or  public  halls;  too  much 
height  would  be  wasted  by  the  slope.  Nor  need  the 

i  p.  28.  2  p.  325,  ante.  3  Champneys,  101. 


334  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

platform  be  large  or  high;  —  a  foot  high,  enough  for 
store-room  under  it,  through  trap  doors,  for  such  extra 
camp  chairs  as  are  needed  for  audiences;  with  enough 
light,  removable  tables,  and  light  chairs  for  all  uses  to 
which  the  room  might  be  put;  a  dead  white  wall  back 
of  the  platform,  and  such  arrangements  as  would  allow 
stereopticon  exhibitions;  effective  ventilation  for  a  full 
room,  even  with  the  low  ceilings  of  a  basement,  and  you 
have  provision  for  many  needs  of  a  small  library.  In 
larger  buildings  larger  rooms  may  be  provided,  but 
always  such  as  could  be  used  in  various  ways,  at  different 
hours  of  day  or  night. 

Six  square  feet,  Duff-Brown  *  and  Champneys  2  con- 
sider enough  to  allow  for  every  auditor,  including  seats, 
gangways  and  platforms.  Marvin  3  says  the  same,  but 
does  not  include  platform. 

For  the  use  of  audiences,  while  the  rest  of  the  library 
is  working,  there  should  be  a  separate  outside  door  or 
wide  door  into  a  corridor  directly  communicating  with 
the  outside. 

As  such  rooms  are  not  so  much  used  for  reading,  and 
are  not  high  in  the  walls,  light  fixtures  need  not  be  so 
numerous  or  powerful. 

Exhibitions.  WKere  funds  are  scant,  I  doubt  whether 
it  is  best  to  provide  an  art  gallery  for  permanent  or  occa- 
sional exhibitions  of  pictures,  with  the  necessary  dispo- 
sition of  lights.  But  in  sizable  buildings,  a  large  room 
can  be  spared  for  exhibitions  directly  or  indirectly  con- 
nected with  books,  and  such  a  room  can  be  so  fitted  up 
as  to  receive  busts,  statues  and  pictures  presented  to 
the  library. 

The  center  of  the  top  floor  of  the  main  building  offers 
an  excellent  position  for  a  large  room  for  exhibition 
purposes,  with  daylight  from  the  roof.  If  suitable  wall 

1  p.  409.  2  p.  131.  3  p.  10. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  335 

material  and  covers  are  provided  as  background  for 
pictures,  with  picture  mouldings  and  with  glass  cases 
for  the  floor,  it  is  ready  for  showing  specimens  of  print- 
ing or  binding,  rare  books,  manuscripts,  or  prints  and 
engravings. 

As  such  an  apartment  would  not  be  used  for  reading, 
it  may  be  a  common  corridor  for  many  rooms  opening 
around  it,  which  are  devoted  partly  to  exhibition,  partly 
to  consultation;  for  instance,  art,  music  and  maps.  Thus 
arranged,  the  top  floor  would  segregate  many  functions 
which  elsewhere  might  interfere  with  the  quiet  of 
readers;  and  would  provide  most  agreeable  conversation 
facilities. 

Pamphlets.  In  many  libraries  gifts  of  pamphlets 
are  received,  which  cannot  be  separately  catalogued  at 
once.  It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  let  them  accumulate 
until  time  is  found  to  assort  them,  decide  what  to  keep 
and  what  to  give  away,  what  to  bind  and  what  to  file 
in  pamphlet  boxes.  In  small  libraries  they  can  be  kept 
temporarily  in  closets.  In  large  libraries  they  often 
assume  such  bulk  as  will  fill  a  room.  Their  stay  in  this 
form  is  so  temporary  that  the  room  assigned  can  be 
remote  (in  the  attic,  for  instance,  of  an  old  house),  and 
very  plain,  not  even  finished,  except  for  such  light  as 
will  be  needed  in  sorting  and  such  heating  as  will  keep 
workers  comfortable. 

Trestle  tables,  kitchen  chairs,  rough  fixed  wooden 
wall  or  floor  shelving,  will  answer  all  purposes,  and  save 
money  for  use  elsewhere.  When  the  pamphlets  are 
boxed  or  made  ready  for  binding,  they  need  not  return 
here,  but  may  find  their  places  elsewhere  in  the  stack  or 
special  rooms. 

Bound  Serials.  Except  a  few  serials  which  cover 
only  special  subjects,  these  are  usually  kept  together, 
for  general  magazines  in  use  are  somewhat  like  ency- 


336  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

clopaedias.  They  are  perhaps  more  readable,  but  are 
not  often  used  for  reading ;  rather  for  reference  through 
Poole  and  other  indexes.  In  any  considerable  collection 
they  occupy  so  much  shelf  room  that  they  will  soon 
fill  a  large  room  by  themselves,  and  they  are  so  kept  in 
many  libraries.  In  the  Library  of  Congress  there  are 
123,805  volumes  of  bound  periodicals,  68,127  of  them 
"general."1  If  placed  in  the  stack,  the  basement  is  a 
good  assignment  for  them,  for  various  reasons.  If 
they  are  to  have  a  room  elsewhere  it  can  be  anywhere 
available ;  with  wooden  floor  cases  (movable  shelves)  and 
plain  walls  and  ceiling  so  colored  as  to  reflect  light. 
As  they  are  often  heavy  and  awkward  to  handle,  and  as 
readers  may  want  to  give  them  a  first  examination  on 
the  spot,  tables  at  one  side  of  the  room  and  carrels  in  the 
windows  will  facilitate  use. 

Sets  of  society  publications  are  often  kept  in  the 
same  room  with  these  serials. 

Bound  Newspapers.  These  require  different  stor- 
age. Small  libraries  will  have  to  keep  what  they  get, 
as  they  keep  atlases  and  other  folios.  Growing  libraries 
which  have  fireproof  vaults  will  want  to  keep  valuable 
local  files  there.  Larger  libraries  with  many  newspapers 
must  settle  just  how  to  keep  them.  It  is  not  wise,  even 
not  possible,  to  set  such  heavy  folios  on  end;  they  must 
be  kept  flat  on  the  shelves.  At  first,  economy  may 
require  using  plain  wooden  shelves  of  special  measure- 
ments, laying  two  or  three  folios  on  their  sides  on  each 
shelf.  But  if  there  is  much  use  of  the  papers,  handling 
them  in  this  way  is  difficult  for  readers  and  injurious 
to  the  folios.  As  soon  as  money  can  be  spared,  proper 
conservation  and  convenience  require  metallic  roller 
shelves,  which  specialists  will  furnish.  Those  in  the 
Massachusetts  State  Library  have  been  found  very 
satisfactory. 

i  L.  C.  Kept.  1901,  p.  326. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  337 

Champneys1  advises  "very  rough  and  ready  storage; 
special  rooms  with  open  racks;  magazines  around  the 
walls,  newspapers  in  the  center," 

Special  Collections.  "Large  libraries  are  apt  to 
receive  gifts,  to  be  kept  apart,  either  from  direction  or 
policy."  —  (Winsor?)  "A  large  library  never  has  enough 
rooms  for  them."  —  (Poole.3)  Fletcher4  speaks  of  the 
numerous  gifts  to  libraries  to  buy  books  in  some  special 
department,  giving  a  list  of  eighty-two  subjects  of  such 
benefactions,  with  the  names  of  recipient  libraries,  sum- 
marized from  Lane  and  Bolton's  Harvard  Bibliographi- 
cal Contributions.  The  Library  of  Congress  Report 
of  1901 5  gives  a  list  of  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  sub- 
jects for  separate  rooms.  Duff-Brown6  mentions  many 
English  special  collections. 

Where  the  donations  or  bequests  are  generous,  it  is 
customary  to  set  aside  separate  rooms  named  for  the 
donor,  to  books  thus  given.  As  such  libraries  are  not 
often  for  popular  reading,  but  are  used  mainly  by  special 
students,  they  may  be  assigned  to  upper  floors.  Grati- 
tude suggests  that  they  be  treated  more  ornately  than 
the  stack,  or  the  general  reading  rooms,  and  in  such 
suites,  indeed,  there  is  opportunity  for  an  artistic  archi- 
tect to  get  noble  effects  without  extravagant  expendi- 
ture. Wall  shelving  is  appropriate,  or  even  alcoves,  for 
their  idea  is  like  that  of  private  or  club  libraries.  Floor 
cases  or  special  stacks  of  less  severe  plainness  than 
must  be  used  elsewhere,  are  needed  as  the  collections 
become  so  large  as  to  require  close  packing. 

The  local  librarian  can  tell  how  many  such  rooms  are 
needed  for  the  collections  already  set  aside,  but  how 
many  to  anticipate  in  building  is  hard  for  anyone  to 
say.  Rooms  or  floors  may  be  reserved,  and  marked 

1  pp.  69,  38,  43.  3 11  L.  J.  Conf.  361.  5  p.  292. 

2  P.  L.  1876,  470.          4  pp.  138,  143.  6  p.  154. 


338  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

"unassigned,"  but  experience  shows  that  such  spare 
spaces  are  usually  wanted  for  some  growth  before  the 
new  building  is  completed. 

Information.  In  small  libraries  there  is  some  attend- 
ant at  the  general  delivery  desk  who  can  answer  mis- 
cellaneous questions.  In  larger  libraries,  this  duty  is 
often  assigned  to  one  of  the  staff  occupying  a  separate 
desk  near  the  delivery  or  the  public  catalog,  or  super- 
vising the  reading  room.  In  large  libraries  the  Provi- 
dence example  is  good,  where  a  counter  on  one  side  of 
the  large  delivery  hall  is  set  aside  for  this  use,  with  its 
special  collection  of  reference  books  handy.  Only  in 
very  large  buildings  is  a  separate  room  necessary  and  even 
then  it  will  generally  be  better  to  use  a  small  room  near 
the  vestibule,  or  a  nook,  or  niche  or  counter,  wherever 
most  convenient  for  the  public  to  inquire  and  where  it 
interferes  least  with  other  uses. 

Conversation.  Strict  quiet  is  so  necessary  in 
reading  rooms,  and  talking  has  to  be  discouraged  so 
much  in  most  of  the  building,  that  a  large  library  ought 
to  have  some  place  when  staff  or  visitors  can  be  allowed 
a  chance  to  talk  when  they  must.  Corridors  are  usually 
free  from  restraint,  but  it  is.  not  often  possible  to  find 
seats  there,  or  secure  privacy.  Vestibules  and  lobbies, 
however,  are  never  needed  for  reading,  and  even  if  used 
for  exhibitions,  can  allow  more  or  less  comfortable  seats, 
so  arranged  in  window  nooks  or  recesses  as  to  afford 
quiet  corners  for  conversation.  The  crossing  of  corri- 
dors, or  room  under  a  dome  (if  such  an  architectural 
misfortune  happens)  can  be  utilized  for  this  purpose; 
indeed,  any  vacant  spaces  on  the  floor  plans,  such  as 
abound  in  many  buildings,  can  be  used  for  exhibition, 
decoration,  information,  conversation,  even  perhaps  for 
smoking,  —  any  diversions  outside  of  reading  which 
readers  might  like. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  339 

Miss  Marvin  1  wants,  even  in  small  libraries,  "a  room 
in  which  conversation  may  be  allowed,  for  the  use  of 
committees  and  for  adults  who  meet  at  the  library  by 
appointment." 

"Conversation  rooms,"  says  Champneys,2  "may  cer- 
tainly be  introduced  in  large  libraries,  and  their  presence 
has  the  advantage  of  being  a  continual  reminder  that 
conversation  is  not  permitted  in  the  reading  rooms. 
In  small  libraries  .  .  .  the  addition  of  a  large  room 
which  can  be  used  for  committee  meetings,  lectures, 
exhibitions,  and  a  variety  of  other  purposes,  cannot 
but  be  recommended." 

In  other  words,  talk  can  be  allowed  in  lecture  or 
exhibition  rooms. 

Staff  talk  is  well  provided  for  in  any  library  in  the 
staff  work  and  rest  rooms.  Subdued  talk  about  books 
might  be  allowed  in  reference  rooms  or  open  access 
rooms.  This,  with  freedom  to  talk  in  halls  and  vesti- 
bules, may  preclude  necessity  for  a  separate  conversa- 
tion room  even  in  large  libraries. 

Unassigned.  Notwithstanding  this  list  of  special 
rooms  required,  including  most  of  the  uses  which  can  be 
foreseen,  there  is  always  opportunity  in  a  progressive 
library,  for  more  space  still  to  be  used,  either  in  enlarg- 
ing departments,  or  in  establishing  new  ones.  In 
planning,  the  wise  way  is  to  include  specific  assignment 
of  space  or  rooms  to  all  existing  departments,  and  such 
others  as  seem  to  be  on  the  lines  of  probable  develop- 
ment, but  also  to  get  more  room  still,  to  be  marked 
"unassigned."  It  will  be  taken  up  sooner  than  anyone 
anticipates.  Indeed,  as  has  been  already  said,  there 
are  many  instances,  where  the  spare  space  left  "un- 
assigned" in  planning  has  been  claimed  even  before  the 
building  is  finished. 

1  p.  12.  2  p.  102. 


340  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Instead  of  having  lofty  rooms,  it  is  always  best  to 
divide  the  height  of  a  library  into  as  many  floors  as 
possible,  making  none  loftier  than  actual  use  will 
require  for  light  and  ventilation.  Never  allow  super- 
fluous height  of  rooms  or  stories  for  architectural  effect, 
outside  or  inside.  Only  by  watching  and  limiting 
waste  of  space,  in  breadth,  length  or  height,  can  you 
get  the  maximum  of  opportunity  out  of  money  you 
spend,  or  be  able  to  get  either  all  the  departments  you 
want  or  unassigned  room  additional. 

If  basement  or  cellar  is  not  all  taken  up  with  your 
assignment  of  departments  and  rooms,  underdrain  and 
line  the  foundations  carefully,  and  provide  for  such 
future  features  as  duplicates,  public  documents,  or 
rows  of  sliding  cases  for  close  packing  of  less  used 
books. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  341 


PART  IV 


FURNITURE  AND  EQUIPMENT 


I  have  mentioned  these  already  under  different 
headings,  where  they  materially  affected  the  size,  shape, 
lighting,  or  situation  of  rooms.  I  shall  not  go  into  an 
enumeration  or  description  of  different  outfit,  because 
there  are  so  many  specialists,  so  many  tastes,  so  many 
systems  in  different  libraries,  that  selection  of  the  latest 
and  best  devices  offered  by  dealers  accessible  to  the 
librarian  is  very  easy.  But  a  few  general  remarks  on 
one  or  two  articles,  may  properly  be  included  in  a 
general  discussion  on  planning. 

In  the  first  place,  never  allow  the  furniture,  fixtures  or 
fittings  to  be  chosen  primarily  for  architectural  effect, 
but  for  special  use  and  fitness  in  every  detail.  In 
material,  in  shape,  in  hue,  have  them  harmonize  with 
the  surroundings,  for  in  such  harmony  lies  the  most 
effective  and  the  least  expensive  beauty.  Here,  the 
taste  of  the  architect  can  be  of  the  utmost  assistance. 
But,  if  possible,  bar  out  what  has  been  called  "archi- 
tectural" furniture,  even  if  money  can  be  spared  for  it. 
Heavy  show-pieces,  hard  to  move,  hard  to  use,  incon- 
venient, uncomfortable,  wasteful  of  space,  are  an 
abomination  in  any  library. 

As  to  proportion  of  expenditure,  Duff-Brown  l  allows 
eighteen  per  cent  of  total  cost  for  fittings  and  furniture. 
He  suggests,  however,  that  fittings  which  are  fixtures 
should  be  counted  as  part  of  the  permanent  structure. 
Perhaps  this  qualification  explains  the  different  estimate 
of  Champneys,2  who  allows  only  ten  per  cent  for  furniture. 

1  pp.  408,105.  2p.  116. 


342  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Bostwick  l  also  recommends  that  fixtures  be  included 
in  the  general  contract,  and  movables  (which  he  specifies) 
be  bought  separately.  He  makes  an  excellent  sugges- 
tion, that  where  this  is  done,  a  piece  of  the  material  to 
be  matched,  in  its  finished  form,  be  sawed  in  two,  and 
one  piece  handed  to  each  contractor,  so  that  the  furni- 
ture and  fixtures  will  match  exactly.  How  important 
this  is  will  be  realized  at  many  libraries,  where  the 
tint  of  fittings  meant  to  match,  often  "swears." 

Miss  Ahern,  editor  of  Public  Libraries,  writes  to  me,  in 
answer  to  an  inquiry :  — 

"I  believe  in  putting  technical  equipment  outside  the 
lines  of  library  building  and  architecture.  A  builder 
cannot  make  it  as  well  as  a  specialist  in  library  equip- 
ment." 

My  experience  leads  me  to  endorse  her  advice  most 
heartily.  I  would  say  further,  what  she  probably 
modestly  refrains  from  saying,  on  account  of  her  busi- 
ness connections,  I  would  get  the  catalogues  of  The 
Library  Bureau,  ask  and  take  their  advice,  and  give 
them  the  preference  where  their  prices  are  as  low.  I  say 
this  (I  have  not  even  an  acquaintance  with  their  present 
management)  because  theirs  was  the  first  attempt  to 
serve  libraries  on  this  line  intelligently,  and  I  have  under- 
stood that  many  years  of  altruistic  experiment,  advised 
by  good  librarians,  were  spent  before  they  even  met 
their  expenses;  so  that  their  services  merit  a  reward. 

Miss  Marvin2  gives  a  "Typical  List  of  Furniture" 
for  a  small  building,  with  prices  ruling  in  her  section 
at  the  time  she  wrote.  She  fears,  however,  thac  she 
may  have  erred  toward  too  great  economy,  "cheap 
furniture  being  unsightly  as  well  as  unprofitable  as  an 
investment." 

1  p.  291.  2  p.  19. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  343 

One  matter  apparently  often  forgotten  in  planning 
is  the  matching  or  contrasts  of  color,  furniture  as  well 
as  woodwork,  shelving,  and  walls  and  lamp  shades. 
Not  only  is  the  general  cheer  and  comfort  of  the  library 
secured  by  harmonious  environment,  but  eyesight  is 
deeply  concerned  in  soft  and  soothing  effects.  Here 
observation  and  taste  may  effect  wonders  in  planning 
for  both  "utilitas"  and  "venustas." 


344  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Tables 

These  deserve  a  separate  chapter;  they  are  used 
everywhere. 

"Good,  plain,  solid,"  epitomizes  Champneys.1 

"Use  small  tables  and  light  chairs  instead  of  the  large 
heavy  tables  and  'artistic'  chairs,  conformed  to  the 
style  of  the  building,  but  awkward  in  use."  —Fletcher.2 

"The  old  style  of  long  tables  is  now  thought  cumber- 
some," says  Bostwick.3  This  I  endorse,  though  archi- 
tects prefer  large  tables  in  large  rooms,  as  more  in 
proportion.  He  advises  small,  rectangular  or  circular 
tables  for  not  more  than  six  readers  each.  I  doubt 
the  circular  in  libraries  where  space  is  scant.  They 
waste  room. 

"Should  not  be  too  long,  or  if  double  not  too  narrow." 

—  Duff -Brown* 

"Tables  for  four  give  readers  a  feeling  of  privacy." 

—  Eastman. 

For  this  reason  I  rather  incline  to  slightly  sloping 
desks  for  two,  like  school  desks,  in  reading  rooms;  all 
facing  one  way;  all  with  a  low  back  and  sides,  with  a 
fillet  at  the  front,  to  keep  books  and  papers  from  fall- 
ing; with  extension  slides  or  trough  drawers  for  open 
books  at  each  side  of  each  reader.  This  form,  it  seems 
to  me,  combines  a  minimum  of  space  for  desk  and  pas- 
sages, with  a  maximum  of  convenience  and  seclusion 
for  readers.  In  the  hours  when  the  room  was  not 
thronged,  there  would  be  a  desk  to  a  reader.  If  the 
desks  were  rightly  faced  and  the  windows  and  lamps 
well  arranged,  no  reader  need  have  direct  rays  of  light 
in  his  eyes,  nor  dazzling  reflection  from  his  paper. 

1  p.  46.  2 13  L.  J.  339.  3  p.  295.  4  p.  129. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  345 

As  regards  height  of  tables  and  space  to  a  reader,  see 
Eastman,1  Marvin/'  Bostwick,  3Champneys,4  Duff-Brown5 
and  Carr.6  They  differ  slightly,  and  each  librarian 
would  best  experiment  and  judge  for  himself. 

The  British  Museum  has  a  kind  of  voting  booth  for 
each  reader,  with  4  feet  2  inches  width  of  desk,  high 
back  and  side  screens  for  privacy.  Cornell  has  some- 
thing similar,  but  most  libraries  cannot  afford  so  much 
space  or  such  provisions  for  privacy. 

Polished  tops  for  tables  (glass  tops  are  sometimes 
inset)  promote  cleanliness,  but  are  apt  to  give  dazzling 
reflections  of  light. 

Ona  general  caution  echoed  by  many  authorities 
warns  against  bottom  cross  rails  between  table  legs. 
The  scraping  of  readers'  feet  against  them  is  noisy, 
drops  mud  on  the  floor,  and  soon  wears  down  the  rails. 

Many  libraries  have  umbrella  racks  at  the  end  of  the 
tables,  and  here  the  owners  can  certainly  have  an  eye 
on  them.  But  if  a  coat  room  cannot  be  provided  with 
an  umbrella  stand,  cannot  such  a  self -locking  rack  be 
placed  in  a  lobby,  as  is  seen  in  many  restaurants? 

Umbrellas  are  damp  and  unsightly  as  neighbors,  and 
they  occupy  space  readers  might  use. 

"Readers'  tables  should  invariably  have  hinged 
flaps  for  writing,  and  slides  to  be  drawn  out  to  enlarge 
book  space. 

"There  should  be  standing  desks  also."  —  Edwards, 
Free  Town  Libraries.7 

Perhaps  there  was  a  demand  by  readers  for  standing 
desks  in  England  forty  years  ago  when  Edwards  wrote, 
but  few  people  want  to  stand  now  in  America  while 
reading  or  writing.  A  fixed  standing  ledge  against  any 
vacant  stretch  of  wall  near  directories,  dictionaries  or 
the  like,  might  be  a  convenience. 

1  30  inches.  3  p.  295.  6  p.  129.  7p.  45. 

2  pp.  10,  18.  4  p.  47.  8 18  L.  J.  225. 


346  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Chairs 

Chairs  are  an  important  element  in  comfort.  Strong 
enough  for  rough  and  constant  use  they  must  be.  Grace- 
ful, or  at  least  not  ungainly,  they  ought  to  be  and  in 
most  libraries  they  cannot  be  superfluously  large. 
Indeed,  there  are  many  places  where  room  can  be  saved 
by  using  stools,  even  fixed  revolving  stools.  In  some 
places  armchairs  (simple,  not  upholstered)  will  make 
readers  more  comfortable.  For  instance,  in  places  where 
they  can  take  up  a  book  or  magazine  while  reading  and 
lean  on  the  arms.  Where  a  table  is  used  to  lay  the  book 
on,  armchairs  are  not  necessary,  and  they  always  need 
more  room  than  plain  chairs. 

For  a  small  library,  the  simplest  kind  of  strong, 
bent-wood  chairs  suffice.  Wood  "saddle"  seats,  or  rat- 
tan, are  recommended  rather  than  any  upholstery,  in 
larger  libraries.  To  prevent  noise,  rubber  tips  to  shoe 
the  legs  —  the  kind  that  screw  in  rather  than  slip  on, 
are  recommended. 

Where  there  is  no  special  coat  room,  hat  racks  under- 
neath and  such  wire  coat  racks  on  the  back,  as  are 
often  used  on  theatre  seats,  are  conveniences.  Mr. 
Foster  has  these  in  the  Providence  Public  Library,  but 
he  tells  me  they  are  not  much  used. 

Chairs  look  better  if  they  match  each  other,  the 
tables,  and  the  shelving,  in  material,  style  and  color. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND   ROOMS  347 

In  planning  it  is  wise  after  you  have  decided  how 
many  seats  you  want  in  each  room,  to  have  the  archi- 
tect sketch  a  floor  plan  and  draw  in  shelving,  tables 
and  chairs,  allotting  to  all  the  space  which  experience 
has  taught  is  required  for  each  reader  in  each  room,  as 
you  intend  to  run  it ;  and  then  carefully  study  the  posi- 
tions of  the  furniture  and  the  dimensions  of  all  the 
passages,  checking  results  by  examination  of  plans  and 
visits  to  libraries  which  you  think  are  satisfactory,  until 
you  are  satisfied  that  you  have  reached  the  maximum 
of  convenience  with  a  minimum  waste  of  space.  A 
few  hours'  time  spent  in  this  apparently  trivial  matter 
may  mean  much  in  ease  of  administration  for  years  to 
come. 


348  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Delivery  Desks 

In  the  very  small  library,  where  every  expense  must 
be  watched,  all  the  furniture  may  have  to  be  of  com- 
mon shapes  and  material,  such  as  can  be  bought  at  the 
nearest  furniture  store.  But  as  soon  as  any  necessary 
luxury  can  be  afforded,  build  or  buy  a  specially  designed 
charging  and  delivery  desk,  for  this  is  the  center  and  heart 
of  almost  all  libraries  of  any  size  or  any  class.  Do  not 
have  it  built  by  a  local  carpenter,  but  wait  until  you  can 
buy  it  from  an  experienced  cabinet  maker,  or  better, 
from  a  first-class  library  fittings  expert.  Study  cata- 
logs and  plans  to  see  what  comes  nearest  to  your 
needs  and  methods.  If  you  find  within  your  means  a 
model  which  entirely  suits  you,  get  it.  But  if  using 
of  that  or  other  makes  of  desks,  or  trying  your  own 
methods,  or  suggestions  of  other  librarians,  have  led 
you  to  think  that  some  modifications  would  suit  better, 
it  will  not  cost  much  more  to  have  them  made  in  the 
style  which  otherwise  pleases  you.  Indeed,  if  your 
wants  are  wise,  you  will  find  that  a  dealer  may  meet 
them  without  extra  charge,  in  the  hope  that  his  desk  will 
thus  commend  itself  to  other  librarians.  Only  by  this 
gradual  study  put  into  form  by  clever  librarians,  can  the 
ideal  desk  be  gradually  evolved. 

See  articles  in  the  Library  Journal,  19,  368;  21,  324; 
22  (Conf.). 

See  dimensions,  Carr,  18  L.  J.  225,  Duff-Brown  105. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  349 

From  the  foregoing  remarks  on  points  of  contact  be- 
tween library  and  public  it  will  be  seen  that  many  of 
these  are  localized  at  a  single  point  —  the  loan  desk. 
"This  point  may  be  regarded  as  the  heart  of  a  public 
circulating  library."  — Bostwick.1 

"It  may  happen  that  the  position  and  size  of  this  desk 
may  determine  in  conspicuous  particulars  the  character 
of  the  whole  building."- — •  Idem.2 

1  p.  54.  2  p.  291. 


350  LIBRARY   BUILDING 


Catalog  Gases 

As  the  card  system  has  been  so  universally  adopted 
in  America,  and  worked  out  to  such  standards  of  size 
that  the  most  convenient  makes,  dimensions  and  sizes 
of  cases  for  every  grade  of  library  are  kept  in  the  market 
in  all  large  cities,  there  is  no  need  of  describing  them 
here.  But  I  would  make  some  suggestions  as  to  how 
they  may  influence  planning. 

Cases  for  small  libraries  may  not  need  a  special  base, 
but  can  be  used  on  any  table,  flat  desk  or  ledge.  As 
the  library  grows,  it  needs  more  cases,  and  a  special 
base,  such  as  all  makers  furnish,  may  be  wanted.  As 
cards,  like  books,  are  more  easily  used  when  they  can  be 
seen  by  the  reader  without  craning  or  stooping,  their 
increase  is  better  met  by  broadening  than  by  piling  up, 
until  wall  space  fails.  In  the  first  form  of  base  used, 
it  is  better  to  utilize  the  space  under  the  table,  not  so 
much  in  the  cupboards  or  open  spaces  suggested  in  some 
catalogs,  as  in  the  upright  or  flat  shelving  of  the  quar- 
tos or  folios  (such  as  atlases)  not  handled  so  often  as  to 
interfere  seriously  with  use  of  the  cards,  the  primary  pur- 
pose of  the  cases.  This  space  beneath  should  certainly 
be  put  to  some  use  wherever  space  is  precious. 

One  form  of  catalog  case  frequently  used  is  double- 
faced,  set  in  the  partition  between  the  delivery  room 
and  the  cataloguer's  room,  the  drawers  pulling  both 
ways,  so  that  they  can  be  used  alternately  in  either 
room. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  351 

In  planning,  the  first  thing  is  to  calculate  how  many 
cards,  drawers  and  cases  are  needed  for  the  number  of 
books  now  in  the  library,  and  the  annual  increase  prob- 
able, for  at  least  ten  years  ahead;  better  twenty-five 
years,  if  there  is  wall  or  floor  room  which  will  be  vacant 
that  long.  Then  comes  the  very  important  decision, 
vitally  affecting  the  size  of  the  room,  perhaps  its  loca- 
tion, and  the  disposition  of  the  windows  and  lights; 
namely,  where  is  the  best  possible  location  for  the  catalog, 
considering  accessibility,  supervision  and  help?  Provi- 
sion for  growth  can  be  lateral  or  up  and  down,  or  both. 
When  the  drawers  get  to  be  more  than  three  or  four  in  a 
tier,  some  provision  must  be  made  in  front  of  or  beside 
them  for  a  ledge  or  narrow  table  on  which  they  can  be 
laid  when  taken  out  for  inspection.  In  small  libraries 
the  combined  catalog  case  and  atlas  rack  can  be  built 
so  that  the  table  will  form  a  ledge  on  all  sides,  for  this 
use,  without  other  provision. 

Good  location  and  light  for  the  public  catalog  make  one 
test  of  the  excellence  of  your  plan. 


352  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Bulletin  Boards 

One  thing  often  forgotten  in  planning  is  to  leave  avail- 
able wall  space  where  necessary  bulletins  can  be  hung  and 
easily  read,  —  a  practical  detail  not  always  seen  by  the 
artistic  eye.  Everyone  has  seen  dome  and  rotunda 
libraries,  all  columns  and  no  wall. 

In  planning,  however,  it  is  not  hard  to  assign  oppor- 
tunities in  spaces  sufficiently  well  lighted,  but  of  no  use 
otherwise,  for  hanging  bulletin  boards,  or  so  treating 
walls  as  to  serve  that  purpose  without  special  boards. 
Lobbies,  vestibules,  corridors,  stairways,  spacious  de- 
livery rooms,  even  railings  outside,  invite  such  use. 
In  England,  want-lists  are  cut  out  from  the  daily 
papers,  mounted  on  boards,  and  thus  hung  outside  the 
library  for  inspection  by  the  unemployed. 

Places  for  bulletins  should  also  consider  —  they  do 
not  always — near-sighted  people,  and  the  undersized. 
Even  in  such  unprosaic  matters,  careful  planning  in 
every  phase  can  promote  the  usefulness  of  the  library. 
I  remember  being  shown  about  a  new  dome  library  in  the 
west,  where  the  librarian  turned  in  distress  and  asked, 
"Do  tell  me  where  I  can  put  up  my  bulletins  or  lists." 
The  only  thing  I  could  suggest  was  that  she  should  get 
her  architect  to  design  a  Parisian  kiosk,  to  be  set  in  the 
centre  of  the  useless  floor  space,  under  the  wasted 
heights  of  the  dome;  and  use  the  exterior  of  the  kiosk 
for  bulletins,  the  interior  for  the  brooms,  for  which 
no  closet  had  been  provided. 


DEPARTMENTS  AND  ROOMS  353 

Miss  Marvin  1  suggests  spaces  over  radiators,  shelves, 
periodical  cases,  and  book  bins.  An  ordinary  screen, 
like  those  used  in  bar-rooms  in  any  "wide-open" 
town,  placed  in  the  center  of  vestibule  or  hall  would 
offer  two  sides  for  lists  and  bulletins  posted  at  any 
convenient  height. 

If  you  have  seen  how  masts  going  up  through  the 
cabins  of  river  boats  or  coasters  are  backed  with  mirrors, 
you  have  a  hint  where  to  put  bulletin  boards  in  buildings 
on  which  columns  have  been  inflicted. 

1  p.  18. 


354  LIBRARY  BUILDING 


Other  Fittings 

These  vary  so  much  with  the  grades  and  classes  of 
libraries,  they  change  so  much  as  inventions  are  made 
from  time  to  time,  that  I  go  into  no  further  details  here, 
but  advise  librarians  who  build  to  examine  each  item 
they  want  to  use,  in  the  light  of  the  last  improvements 
and  the  experience  of  fellow-librarians. 

[Burgoyne  gives  thirty- two  pages,  illustrated,  to  Eng- 
lish devices.] 

Clocks,  thermometers  amd  barometers  are  especially 
recommended  by  Duff-Brown.1  Clocks  (noiseless)  will 
be  useful  in  many  rooms,  also  thermometers,  but  we 
do  not  watch  barometers  so  much  in  the  United  States 
as  our  English  cousins  do. 

A  page  in  your  note  book  devoted  to  furniture  and 
gear,  when  you  start  out  on  a  reconnoissance  among  other 
libraries,  will  fix  many  fleeting  impressions  which  may 
come  into  use  later. 

And  in  your  trips  may  sharp  eyes  and  keen  common 
sense  travel  with  you! 

1  p.  113. 


F. 

APPENDIX 


In  this  Appendix 
are  printed  quotations  from  the 

outlines  for  planning 

two  of  the  largest  of  recent 

libraries,  both  public. 


F. 

APPENDIX 


CONCRETE  EXAMPLES 


By  permission  of  the  librarians  of  the  New  York 
Public  Library  and  of  the  Brooklyn  Public  Library,  I 
print  here  extracts  from  their  respective  "Terms  of 
Competition"  (already  printed  in  pamphlet  form)  for 
the  building  just  completed,  and  "General  Suggestions 
to  the  Architect"  for  the  building  soon  to  be  erected. 
The  latter,  hitherto  unpublished,  is  very  full,  and  is 
cross  referenced  and  annotated,  therefore  likely  to  prove 
especially  helpful. 

I  thus  present  practical  details  of  the  planning  of 
two  large  recent  American  library  buildings,  in  the  hope 
of  throwing  a  fresh  light  on  the  problems  I  have  treated. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  one  of  these  libraries  was 
built  after  an  architectural  competition;  the  other  has 
been  planned,  and  will  be  built,  after  the  method  pre- 
ferred in  this  book,  selection  of  the  architect  at  the 
outset,  without  competition. 

Librarians,  architects  and  building  committees 
about  to  plan  a  very  large  library  may  review  their 
subject  in  these  summaries;  and  those  engaged  in  less 
extensive  plans  may  select  the  rooms  and  combinations 
which  meet  their  own  needs. 

The  side  headings  and  italics  are  mine. 

C.  C.  S. 


TERMS  OF  COMPETITION 


THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

Astor,  Lenox  and  Tilden  Foundations. 


Plan  of  Competition.  In  May,  1897,  the  Committee  announced 
that  it  proposed  to  obtain  plans  by  means  of  two  consecutive  com- 
petitions. An  open  competition  was  to  be  first  held.  The  Com- 
mittee was  then  to  choose  from  the  authors  of  the  twelve  most 
meritorious  sketches  certain  of  the  competitors,  not  more  than 
six  in  number;  and  the  persons  thus  selected,  with  not  more  than 
six  other  persons  or  firms  thereafter  to  be  named  by  the  Com- 
mittee, were  to  be  invited  to  take  part  in  a  second  restricted  and 
paid  competition. 

Cost  and  Jury.  Each  of  the  competitors  will  be  paid  $800,  as 
the  estimated  cost  to  them  of  the  drawings  required. 

The  drawings  will  be  judged  by  a  jury  of  seven  persons  con- 
sisting of  three  practising  architects  to  be  selected  by  the  competi- 
tors themselves,  three  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  to  be 
hereafter  named  by  the  Board,  and  the  Director  of  the  New  York 
Public  Library. 

Experts.  The  Trustees  also  reserve  the  right  of  appointing  con- 
sulting engineers  to  whom  all  construction  drawings  and  all  draw- 
ings relating  to  heating,  ventilation  and  electrical  apparatus  shall 
be  submitted  for  approval  before  they  are  carried  into  execution. 

Plans  to  File.  The  architect  shall  furnish  to  the  Trustees,  upon 
completion  of  the  building,  a  full  set  of  drawings  exhibiting  all 
essential  particulars  of  its  design  and  construction,  for  future  refer- 
ence. 

Light.  All  rooms  used  by  the  public  or  for  clerical  purposes 
must  have  as  much  daylight  as  possible.  The  windows  should  run 
nearly  to  the  ceilings,  and  in  the  reading  rooms  should  not  come 
within  five  feet  of  the  floor.  They  should  be  large  and  little  ob- 
structed by  framework. 

The  book  stacks  also  should  receive  as  much  daylight  as  possible; 
but  it  is  not  expected  entirely  to  dispense  with  the  use  of  artificial 
light  in  the  book  stacks. 


360  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Heat  and  Air.  The  building  should  be  heated  by  steam  applied 
i.i  part  through  hot  water,  and  at  least  1,500  cubic  feet  of  fresh  air 
per  person  per  hour,  for  all  occupied  rooms  must  be  warmed, 
introduced  and  properly  distributed  by  mechanical  means,  and 
flues  must  be  provided  of  such  size  that  a  velocity  of  6  feet  per 
second  will  furnish  the  above  amount. 

Material.  The  floors  in  the  main  halls,  corridors  and  exhibition 
rooms  are  to  be  of  marble,  tile  or  mosaic;  in  the  Trustees'  and 
Director's  Rooms  of  wood  or  parquetry;  and  in  the  book  stacks 
of  white  marble  slabs.  In  the  Reading  Rooms  and  Administration 
Rooms  the  floors  may  be  of  brick  or  concrete,  as  they  will  be  cov- 
ered with  a  thick  cork  carpet  or  other  noiseless  material. 

The  building  must  be  thoroughly  fire-proof. 

For  the  purposes  of  this  competition  it  is  to  be  assumed  that  the 
building  will  be  constructed  of  masonry,  except  the  book-stacks; 
that  the  so-called  skeleton  construction  of  iron  will  not  be  employed; 
and  that  the  external  walls  will  be  faced  with  Indiana  limestone  — 
although,  as  hereinafter  stated,  that  material  may  not  be  finally 
adopted. 

The  Trustees  are  advised  that  the  majority  of  librarians  regard 
brick  as  the  best  material  from  a  practical  point  of  view,  and  the 
competitors  are  invited  to  say  whether  in  their  judgment  it  can  be 
so  used  as  to  secure  for  this  building  the  dignity  and  monumental 
character  that  is  desired. 

It  is  believed  that  ample  opportunity  will  exist  for  architectural 
and  decorative  effect;  but  it  is  desired  that  the  Reading  Rooms  at 
least  should  be  plainly  treated. 

Tentative  Plans.  In  instituting,  in  the  month  of  May, 
a  Preliminary  Competition  under  substantially  the  same  require- 
ments, the  Trustees  submitted  a  set  of  diagrams  showing  a  tentative 
arrangement  which  was  suggested  as  a  possible  solution  of  the 
problem,  but  one  for  which  they  entertained  no  special  prepos- 
sessions. The  important  features  of  the  interior  as  there  shown, 
placed  the  main  reading  rooms  on  the  third  floor,  and  the  book- 
stacks  immediately  below  them  along  the  west  front  of  the  building. 
This  plan,  which  embodied  the  results  of  considerable  study,  has 
since  then  been  subjected  to  the  critical  examination  of  the  leading 
librarians  of  the  country,  and  has  also  been  carefully  reconsidered 
by  the  Committee  and  their  professional  advisers  in  the  light  of  the 
abundant  illustration  afforded  by  the  plans  submitted  in  the  Pre- 
liminary Competition. 

Details.  The  Lending  Department  must  be  distant  from  the 
reading  rooms,  and  must  be  provided  with  easy  and  direct  access 


APPENDIX  361 

from  the  street.  The  Children's  Room,  and  the  Periodical  and 
Newspaper  Rooms,  must  be  provided  with  similar  easy  access  and 
should  probably  be  on  the  first  floor.  The  Accession  Department 
must  have  direct  communication  with  that  portion  of  the  main 
stack  which  is  on  the  same  level,  and  also  with  the  catalogue  room — 
either  directly  or  by  means  of  a  lift.  The  delivery  desk  in  the  public 
reading  rooms  must  be  central  and  so  situated  as  to  overlook  each 
of  the  large  public  reading  rooms.  The  machinery  for  bringing  books 
from  the  stacks  must  be  as  direct  and  simple  as  possible. 

Stacks  The  book  stacks  occupy  two  stories  and  the  basement 
and  have  the  Reading  Rooms  in  a  third  story  above  them.  This 
arrangement  gives  the  Reading  Rooms  the  maximum  amount  of 
light,  brings  the  stacks  into  easy  and  direct  communication  with 
them,  and  allows  of  the  extension  of  the  building  towards  the  west 
at  some  future  day,  by  enlarging  both  the  stacks  and  the  Reading 
Rooms  simultaneously  and  proportionately,  with  a  comparatively 
small  enlargement  of  the  portions  of  the  building  devoted  to  admin- 
istrative and  other  uses. 

Working-rooms.  The  administration  is  concentrated  on  the 
south  side  of  the  building.  A  private  entrance  for  the  use  of  em- 
ployees is  provided,  and  also  a  driveway  from  the  street  to  admit 
of  the  passage  of  carts  containing  books  or  stores.  The  boilers, 
engines,  dynamos  and  coal  vaults  are  placed  outside  of  the  building 
and  below  the  level  of  the  40th  Street  sidewalk.  In  the  basement 
near  the  driveway  are  the  storerooms,  book-bindery,  printing  room, 
and  rooms  for  packing  and  exchanging  books  and  for  issuing  them 
to  branch  libraries.  Above  are  receiving  rooms  for  books,  acces- 
sions department,  cataloguing  room,  and  order  and  checking  depart- 
ment. Between  the  administrative  part  of  the  building  and  the 
part  open  to  the  public,  come  the  rooms  for  the  Director  and  the 
Trustees. 

In  the  basement,  near  the  Forty-second  Street  entrance,  which 
will  be  approximately  on  a  level  with  the  sidewalk,  is  the  delivery 
room  for  the  Lending  Department,  running  up  into  the  first  story. 
It  is  next  to  the  book  stacks,  and  occupies  the  lower  part  of  the 
northern  area  or  open  court,  and  is  lighted  from  above. 

Floors.  The  different  floors  of  the  building  are  to  coincide  with 
the  level  of  the  floors  of  the  book  stacks.  The  floors  of  the  book 
stacks  are  to  be  seven  feet  and  six  inches  apart,  from  top  to  top. 
The  basement  and  second  stories  of  the  building  will  accordingly 
be  fifteen  feet  in  height,  from  floor  to  floor,  being  two  stacks  high; 
and  the  first  story  will  be  twenty-two  feet  and  six  inches,  or  three 
stacks  in  height.  The  smaller  rooms  in  the  first  story  may  have 


362  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

rooms  over  them  in  a  mezzanine.  The  floor  of  the  basement  story 
will  be  a  step  or  two  above  the  42d  Street  sidewalk  at  the  entrance. 

Conditions.  The  arrangement  of  rooms  in  the  basement  on 
the  southwest  corner,  above  indicated,  permits  the  packing  and 
ready  distribution  of  books  for  the  lending  branches  to  be  here- 
after established.  The  central  portion  of  the  basement  between  the 
two  courts  affords  a  suitable  location  for  the  ventilating  machinery 
of  the  building.  The  special  reading  rooms  for  students  on  the 
second  and  third  floors,  while  in  easy  communication  with  the 
main  stack,  are  removed  from  the  main  reading  rooms  and  from 
the  portion  of  the  building  most  frequented  by  the  public.  The 
main  reading  rooms  on  the  third  story  are  removed  from  dust  and 
noise,  and  enjoy  the  best  form  of  light  from  above.  //  is  considered 
preferable  not  to  have  the  rooms  very  lofty,  and  the  skylights  should  be 
large  so  as  to  diffuse  the  light  as  much  as  possible.  Domes  are 
accordingly  not  desired. 

Stack  Light.  The  arrangement  of  the  stacks  affords  a  reason- 
able amount  of  light,  and  does  not  make  the  stacks  wholly  dependent 
on  artificial  light,  which  will  be  expensive  and  in  other  respects 
objectionable. 


SCHEDULE  OF  ROOMS. 

A. 
Reading  Rooms  Freely  Open  to  the  Public. 

I.  Main  Reading  Rooms.  In  the  main  public  reading 
rooms  space  for  at  least  800  readers  will  be  required, 
with  an  allowance  of  30  sq.  ft.  per  reader,  exclusive 
of  space  required  for  catalogs  and  reference  shelv- 
ing, or  about  26,800  square  feet  in  all. 

This  space  should  be  divided  into  three  rooms, 
so  arranged  that  only  one  need  be  used  at  a  time, 
but  that  all  can  readily  be  served  from  one  delivery 
counter,  which  should  be  central  and  close  to  the 
main  stacks. 

There  should  be  at  least  3,500  feet  (linear)  of 
shelving  for  free  reference  books  in  these  rooms 
and  the  Card  Catalogue,  occupying  at  least  150 
sq.  ft.,  must  be  provided  for  near  the  delivery  desk. 

In  all  the  reading  rooms  and  wherever  else  it  is 
required,  shelving  must  not  be  more  than  seven 


APPENDIX  363 

Schedule  of  Rooms  —  (continued). 

shelves  in  height.  This  gives  seven  feet  of  shelving 
for  each  running  foot  of  wall-space.  Where  there 
is  not  enough  wall-space  for  the  amount  of  shelving 
called  for,  stacks  of  double  shelves,  back  to  back, 
may  be  employed,  either  projecting  from  the  walls, 
or  standing  free  in  the  room. 

The  ceilings  of  the  reading  rooms  should  be  kept 
as  low  as  is  consistent  with  pleasing  proportions. 
There  should  be  no  waste  spaces  to  be  heated  and 
kept  clean. 

It  is  not  desired  that  these  reading  rooms  should 
be  show  rooms  so  as  to  attract  sight-seers. 
II.    Periodical   Room,   4,000   sq.   ft.;     1,500  linear  feet  of 

shelving.     This  room  must  be  upon  the  first  floor. 
III.    Newspaper  Room,  about  4,000  sq.  ft.  area,  on  first 
floor.     Store  room  for  bound  newspapers  adjacent, 
either  in  main  stack  or  separate  room. 

IV.  Patents    Room     2,500   feet   of   shelving;     25    readers, 

3,500  sq.  ft. 

V.  Public  Document  Rooms,  4,000  sq.  ft. 

VI.    Children's  Room,  4,000  sq.  ft.;    1,000  feet  of  shelving; 

80  readers. 

VII.    Library  for  the  Blind,  800  sq.  ft. ;  20  readers;  225  feet 
of  shelving;   on  first  floor. 

B. 
Reading  Rooms  for  Scholars  and   Special  Students. 

(Admission  by  card.) 

VIII.  Special  Reading  Rooms,  5  or  6  rooms,  each  with 
1,000  to  1,500  feet  of  shelving;  and  from  1,800  to 
2,000  sq.  ft.;  on  second  and  third  floors. 
IX.  Manuscript  Department,  1  store  room,  800  sq.  ft.; 
1  reading  room  for  6  readers,  340  sq.  ft.;  1  libra- 
rian's room,  340  sq.  ft. 

X.    Music  Room,  1,600  feet  of  shelving;    800  sq.  ft. 
XI.    Bible    Room,    1,000  feet  of  shelving;    800   sq.   ft.;    6 

readers. 

Map  Room,  1,000  sq.  ft. 

Special  Work  Rooms  for  special  students,  8  rooms,  each 
150  sq.  ft.  with  100  linear  feet  of  shelving. 


364  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

C. 

Lending  Department. 

XIV.  Lending  Delivery  Room.  Delivery  counter  at  least 
60  feet  long;  seats  for  150  waiting;  2,000  feet  of 
shelving;  catalog  space;  bulletin  boards;  about 
16,000  sq.  ft.  Small  reference  collection  here. 

The  stack  of  books  in  this  room  should  be  close 
to  the  main  stack,  and  have  machine  communica- 
tion with  the  delivery  desks  in  the  main  reading 
rooms.  Basement  floor. 

D. 
Exhibition  Rooms  Open  to  the  Public. 

XV.    Picture  Gallery,  5,000  sq.  ft.     (The  Lenox  Gallery  is 

40  ft.  x  56  ft.) 

XVI.  Stuart  Collection  Room,  5,000  sq.  ft.,  must  be  on  same 
floor  with  the  Picture  Gallery  and  with  easy  access 
to  main  Reading  Room. 

XVII.  An  Exhibition  Room  for  the  History  of  Printing,  etc., 
4,000  sq.  ft.  May  be  on  the  first  story,  and  some 
smaller  rooms  for  the  same  purpose  may  be  provided 
on  the  third  story. 

E. 
Administrative  Rooms  not  Open  to  the  Public. 

XVIII.  Trustees'  Room,  800  sq.  ft.,  near  the  Director's  rooms, 
with  a  large  safe  for  the  Secreatry,  and  open  fire- 
place. 

XIX.  Director's  Rooms.  1  office,  900  sq.  ft. ;  1  private  room 
with  lavatory,  600  sq.  ft.  Near  to  Trustees'  Room; 
also  to  Order  Room.  Open  fireplaces. 

This    must    come    between    the    Public    and    the 
Administrative  part. 
XX.   Order  Department,  2,600  sq.  ft. ;   300  feet  of  shelving. 

Between  Director's  Office  and  Cataloguing  Room. 
XXI.    Cataloguing  Room,  2,800  sq.  ft.;  1,000  feet  of  shelving. 
To  connect  easily  with  Order  Room,  Receiving  Room, 
Accessions   Room   and   Stacks  and   Printing   Office. 
Cloak  Room  and  Lavatory  for  Women  appended. 


APPENDIX 


365 


XXII.  Accessions  Department,  1,800  sq.  ft.;  150  feet  of 
shelving.  To  connect  with  Cataloguing  Room  and 
with  Stacks. 

XXIII.  Receiving  and  Checking  Room  for  Books,  1,500  sq. 
ft.;  600  feet  of  shelving.  To  connect  with  Packing 
and  Delivery  Rooms,  and  with  Cataloguing  Room, 
by  elevator. 

XXIV.  Packing  and  Delivery  Room,  500  feet  of  shelving. 
On  driveway;  easy  connection  with  Receiving  Room 
and  with  Duplicate  Room ;  also  with  store-room  for 
boxes  in  cellar.  3,600  sq.  ft. 

XXV.  Duplicate  and  Exchange  Room,  50  ft.  x 60  ft.;    3,000 

sq.  ft.;   4,000  linear  feet  of  shelving;   may  be  in  base 
of  stack.     Easy  connection  with  Packing  Room. 

XXVI.  Main  Stack  Room  for  1,500,000  Volumes;    187,500 

linear  feet  of  shelving.  This  amount  of  shelving 
(allowing  for  proper  ventilating  arrangements  and 
dust  tubes)  can  be  contained  in  six  tiers  of  stacks, 
each  tier  being  240  ft.  x  75  ft.  with  5-foot  corridor 
all  around,  5-foot  corridor  on  long  axis,  and  15-foot 
corridor  on  short  axis,  straight  stairs  at  ends  and  at 
centre.  Stacks  5  ft.  between  centres,  7  ft.  6  in.  in 
height;  ends  of  stacks  5  ft.  from  windows. 
XXVII.  Binding  Department.  2,400  sq.  ft.,  with  Stock  Room 

250  sq.  ft.     Furnace  flue  required. 

XXVIII.    Printing  Office,  1,200  sq.  ft.     Stock  Room,  200  sq.  ft. 
Furnace  flue  required. 

XXVII  and  XXVIII  to  be  on  south  front,  next 
each  other,  with  small  dumb  waiter  connection  with 
Cataloguing  Room  and  separate  chimney  flues. 
XXIX.    Business  Superintendent's  Office,  400  sq.  ft.,  two  rooms, 

safe  in  one. 
XXX.    Photograph   Rooms  500  sq.   ft.     Top  floor.     Skylight 

to  North.     Dark  room.  Printing  room. 

XXXI.  Lunch  Rooms,  one  for  boys  and  attendants;  one  for 
librarians  and  assistant  librarians,  etc.  Basement, 
800  sq.  ft.  Chimney  flue. 

XXXII.  Class  Room,  to  seat  about  150;  850  sq.  ft.  To  be 
near  the  Director's  Room. 

XXXIII.  Stock  and  Store  Room,  general.     400  sq.  ft. 

XXXIV.  Eight  or  Ten   Rooms,  of  about  200  sq.  ft.  each,  for 

store  rooms  and  special  work  rooms  =  1,600  sq.  ft. 
One  for  scrub  women. 


366 


LIBRARY  BUILDING 


XXXV.    Central  Telephone  Office  for  the  house. 
XXXVI.    Engineer's  Department.     Boiler  rooms;  Dynamo  room; 
Work-shop;    Engine  room;    Living  rooms  for  Jani- 
tor —  30,000  sq.  ft. 

XXXVII.  Boilers,  Engines  and  Dynamos  to  be  outside  the  build- 
ing, in  vault  about  120  ft.  x  40  ft,  south  of  building 
and  near  its  S.  W.  corner,  with  coal  vaults  extending 
beneath  sidewalk. 

XXXVIII.    Dust  Tubes  and   Closets,   with   electric  fans;    to  be 
arranged  in  stacks,  and  for  open  reference  shelves. 


F. 

Miscellaneous. 

XXXIX.   Two    Reception    Rooms.     One   for   staff,   600   sq.    ft. 

One  for  visitors,  600  sq.  ft. 
XL.   Women's  Room,  200  sq.  ft.,  with  lavatory,  on  third 

floor. 
XLI.   Two  Cloak  and  Parcel  and  Bicycle  Rooms,  600  sq.  ft. 

each,  near  Forty-second  Street  entrance. 
XLII.    Public  Telephone  Room,  60  sq.  ft.     Main  Hall. 
XLIII.    Public  Lavatories  and  W.  C.     Two  in  the  Basement  and 
two  on  the  3d  Floor. 

Staff  lavatories  and  W.  C.  are  to  be  provided,  two 
in  basement,  four  on  second  floor. 

There  must  be  wash-stands  in  or  near  children's 
room,  cataloguer's  room,  packing  room  and  receiving 
room,  arranged  on  the  main  lines  of  plumbing. 
XLIV.   Elevators,  two  or  more,  for  use  of  public  in   Main 
Hall.     One  in  Administrative  portion.     Book  lifts. 


APPENDIX  367 


BROOKLYN    PUBLIC   LIBRARY    CENTRAL 
BUILDING. 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS  TO  THE  ARCHITECT. 

General.  These  suggestions  are  intended  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  the  Architect  in  working  out  his  plans,  and  in  no  way  to 
hamper  him.  It  is  possible  the  Architect  may  find  a  different 
arrangement  of  rooms  more  suitable  to  the  building  which  he  plans, 
and  while  it  is  desirable  that  he  conform  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the 
suggested  arrangement  it  is  not  necessary  to  follow  it  closely. 

Estimates.  In  submitting  preliminary  plans  the  approximate 
cost  in  the  shape  of  estimate  from  at  least  three  reputable  builders 
should  be  given  exclusive  of  heating,  lighting,  ventilation,  book 
stacks  and  all  fixed  furniture. 

Guides.  The  number  of  stories  should  include  sub-basement, 
basement,  and  as  many  stories  above  the  ground  as  will  comport 
with  the  Memorial  Arch  and  surrounding  buildings,  providing  at 
the  same  time  adequate  capacity  for  the  needs  of  a  Central  Library 
Building.  Your  attention  is  called  to  the  report  of  the  Consulting 
Architect,  Prof.  A.  D.  F.  Hamlin  to  the  Central  Building  Com- 
mittee under  date  of  March  25,  1905;  and  of  the  reports  of  Frederick 
Law  Olmsted,  Jr.,  made  to  the  Brooklyn  League  under  date  of 
October,  1905,  and  of  Messrs.  Carrere  and  Hastings  to  the  Mayor 
of  New  York,  under  date  of  November,  1905,  and  the  comparative 
table  of  accommodations  of  various  library  buildings  as  prepared  by 
the  Brooklyn  Public  Library.  All  these  documents  should  be  studied 
preliminary  to  the  preparation  of  plans. 

Requisites.  Architectural  effect  should  be  subordinate  to  utility 
and  convenience.  Consideration  should  be  given  to  the  probabili- 
ties of  extensions  to  the  building. 

The  prime  essentials  for  the  library  building  are  light  and  ventila- 
tion. The  building  should  be  lighted  on  all  sides  by  natural  light. 
Walls  which  face  open  courts  should  be  of  light  colored  material. 

The  building  should  be  thoroughly  fireproof. 

The  whole  building  is  to  be  piped  and  wired  for  both  gas  and 
electric  lighting. 

The  decoration  of  the  reading  rooms  should  be  very  simple. 

Wall  space  should  not  be  occupied  by  heating  pipes. 


368  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

All  halls  and  stairways  should  be  ample  and  well  lighted. 

The  dimensions  given  may  be  considerably  varied  provided  they 
are  not  materially  reduced.  All  rooms  should  be  so  planned  as  to 
provide  wall  shelving  3  feet  in  the  clear  without  loss  of  space  and 
without  any  architectural  obstruction. 

Grouping  of  Rooms  According  to  Use. 

(a)  Public  rooms. 

(b)  Work  rooms. 

(c)  Executive  rooms. 
(<*)  Stack. 

(e)   Mechanical  service. 

A.  PUBLIC   ROOMS. 

Children's  room. 

Delivery  room  (Circulation  Dept.). 

Registration  room. 

Reading  Rooms. 

(a)  Reference.         1.  General. 

2.  Statistical  Dept. 

3.  Patents. 

4.  Music. 

5.  Art  books. 

5a.  Bell  collection. 

6.  Manuscripts. 

7.  Maps. 

8.  Public  documents. 

9.  Restricted  and  rare  books. 

10.  Prints  room. 

11.  Photograph  room. 
(ft)  Periodicals.       1.  General. 

2.  Scientific. 

3.  Store  room  for  unbound  back  numbers. 

4.  Bound  magazines  —  or  space  in  stack. 

5.  Newspapers. 
Public  catalog. 

Club  rooms. 

Study  rooms. 

Auditorium  or  Exhibition  room 

Lunch  room  (Restaurant). 

Public  reception. 

Stenographer. 


APPENDIX  369 


Telephone. 

Writing  and  copying  rooms. 

Coat  room. 

Toilets. 

B.     WORK   ROOMS. 

Superintendent  of  Building's  office. 

Engineer's  rooms. 

Janitor's  rooms. 

Janitor's  living  rooms. 

Scrub  women's  rooms. 

Binding. 

Repair  room. 

Printing  plant. 

Work  Rooms  (staff). 

Supply  Department. 

Store  room  for  supplies. 

Book  Order  Department. 

Packing  room. 

Delivery  stations  room.  • 

Apprentice  class  room. 

Cataloguing  Department. 

Library  of  Congress  Card  Catalog  room. 

Traveling  Libraries  Department. 

Interchange  Department. 

Foreign  Book  Department. 

Work  Rooms  (Special  Rooms  for  Staff). 
Two  lunch  rooms. 
One  staff  sitting  room. 
One  staff  meeting  room. 
Butler's  pantry,  kitchen,  etc. 

C.     EXECUTIVE    OFFICES. 

Trustees'  room. 
Committee  room. 
Librarian's  Public  office. 
Librarian's  Private  office. 
Librarian's  Secretary's  office. 
Stenographer's  room. 
Assistant  Librarian's  office. 
Supt.  of  Branches  office. 
Finance  Department. 


370  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Offices  of  the  Superintendents  of  Cataloguing,  Children's,  Travel- 
ing libraries,  Supply  Department,  connected  with  their  respective 
departments. 

D.     STACK. 

Stock  room  accommodations  for  books  purchased  and  unassigned. 
Storage  room  for  little  used  books. 

E.     MECHANICAL   SERVICE. 

1.  Public  telephone. 

2.  Interior  telephone. 

3.  Book  carrier. 

4.  Pneumatic  tubes. 

5.  Elevators. 

6.  Book  lifts. 

SUGGESTED  FLOOR  ARRANGEMENTS  AND  DIMENSIONS 
OF  ROOMS. 

By  a  proper  grouping  of  rooms  it  may  be  possible  for  one  attend- 
ant to  temporarily  supervise  several  rooms. 

Stack. 

An  allowance  of  10,000  sq.  ft.  on  each  floor  will  provide  accom- 
modation for  1,600,000  volumes. 

Separate  Building  or  Sub-Basement. 

Heating,  ventilating  and  lighting  plant. 

Basement. 

Janitor's  work  room 300  sq.  ft. 

Engineer's  room  (office)    300 

Engineer's  work  room   400 

Scrub  women's  room    300 

Store  room  for  supplies 1,000 

Bindery    5,000 

Printing  plant 3,000 

Auditorium  or  Exhibition  Room 4,500 

14,800  sq.  ft. 


APPENDIX  371 


Ground  Floor. 

Book  Order  Dept.    3,000  sq.  ft. 

Supply  Dept 2,500  " 

Packing  room    1,500  " 

Delivery  Station  room 1,000  " 

Repair  room    1,200  " 

Library  for  the  Blind 2,000  " 

Supt.  of  Building  —  office 500  " 

Coat  and  parcel  room    600  " 

Public  telephone  room  I  (  300  " 

Public  reception  room  >  combme 1  300  " 

Telephone  switch  board 200  " 

Public  toilet  rooms 700  " 

Private  toilet  rooms 700  " 

Lockers  for  200  employees    600  " 

Newspaper  reading  room    2,500  " 


17,600  sq.  ft. 


Main  or  First  Floor. 


Children's  room    5,000  sq.  ft. 

Delivery  room  (open  shelves) 3,000      " 

Executive  offices 4,900      " 

Trustees'  room      900  sq.  ft. 

Committee  room    400      " 

Librarian's  public  office    400      " 

Librarian's  private  office 500      " 

Librarian's  Secretary's  office    400      " 

Stenographers'  room 600 

Assistant  Librarian's  office 400 

*Supt.  of  Branches  office    300      " 

Finance  Department     1,000      " 

Reading  rooms  —  Periodicals 4,000      " 

Reading  rooms  —  Scientific  periodicals    400      " 

Reading  rooms  —  Store  room  for  unbound  back  num- 
bers .  600      " 


17,900  sq.  ft. 
*  Other  Superintendents  provided  in  the  space  allotted  department. 


372  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Second  Floor. 

Reference  room 10,000  sq.  ft. 

Special  reference  rooms  as  follows:  — 

Statistical  Dept 800  sq.  ft. 

Patents  room    2,500      " 

Map  room     1,500      " 

Public  documents  room  for  readers.    1,200      " 

Restricted  and  rare  books    400      " 

Public  catalog  1,500      " 

Public  writing  and  copying  rooms 800      " 


18,700  sq.  ft. 
Third  Floor. 

Music  room  1,500  sq.  ft. 

Prints  room  800  " 

Art  book  room    2,000  " 

Manuscripts    800  " 

Photographic  room    400  •" 

Photographic  dark  room    120  " 

Apprentice  class  room 2,500  " 

Staff  meeting  room    1,000  " 

Bell  collection 1,200  " 

Study  and  club  rooms  (3  or  4) 1,200  " 

Cataloguing  Dept 5,000  " 

Library  of  Congress  Card  Catalog  room     1,000  " 

Traveling  Library  Dept.  and  Interchange  600  " 


18,120  sq.  ft. 
Mezzanine  Floor. 

Staff  sitting  room 600  sq.  ft. 

Two  lunch  rooms :  — 

One 400      " 

One 800      " 

Pantry  and  kitchen 

Public  restaurant   .  900      " 


2,700  sq.  ft. 
Fourth  Story  (if  any). 

Janitor's  living  rooms 1,500  sq.  ft. 


APPENDIX  373 

Totals. 

Prof.  A.  D.  F.  Hamlin  has  estimated  that  the  available  ground 
space  for  the  building  might  vary  according  to  different  types  of 
building  from  31,250  sq.  ft.  to  44,600  sq.  ft.  Our  estimate  of  the 
space  required,  including  rooms,  halls,  etc.,  and  stack  is  about 
36,630  sq.  ft. 
(Above  basement) :  — 

Ground  floor   17,600  sq.  ft. 

Main  or  first  floor 17,900      " 

Second  floor 18,700      " 

Third  floor 18,120      " 

Mezzanine  floor 2,700      " 

Fourth  floor 1,500      " 


76,520  sq.  ft. 
Stack  —  4  stories  of  main  building 40,000       " 


116,520      " 
Add  for  halls,  stairs,  walls,  vaults,  toilet  rooms,  etc.     30,000       " 


146,520  sq.  ft. 
Average  per  floor  (4) 36,630      " 

ALPHABETICAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  ROOMS. 

Under  each  room  is  given  the  purpose  and  best  arrangement  in 
relation  to  other  rooms.  The  list  also  includes  such  headings  as 
"Furniture,"  "Shelving,"  etc. 

Accession  Department,  see  Cataloguing  Department. 

Apprentice  Class  Room.  For  students  who  are  taking  the 
training  course  in  the  library  preparatory  to  admission  to  the  library 
service.  Accommodations  should  be  provided  for  one  hundred 
students. 

Need  not  be  considered  in  relation  to  other  rooms,  and  may  be 
placed  on  top  floor  or  wherever  convenient. 

The  room  might  be  divided  into  sections  by  sliding  partitions 
so  that  a  part  or  the  whole  could  be  used  either  for  class  work  or 
for  entrance  and  promotion  examinations,  and  should  be  planned 
as  a  regular  school  class  room  containing  such  necessary  appliances 
as  desks,  chairs  blackboards,  etc 

A  sufficient  number  of  lockers  should  be  provided  in  a  dressing- 
room  near  by. 


374  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

If  the  room  is  not  divided  as  mentioned  above,  a  study  room 
containing  a  working  collection  of  library  literature  would  make 
study  possible  by  members  of  one  class  while  another  class  is  in 
session. 

Art  Book  Cases,  see  Furniture,  Art  Book  Cases. 

Art  Book  Room.  All  the  large  heavy  books  belonging  to 
the  Art  Book  Collection  will  be  placed  here  in  cases  or  on  shelves. 

There  should  be  accommodation  in  this  room  or  a  nearby  stack 
for  15,000  volumes. 

If  an  Exhibition  Room  is  not  provided  the  Art  Book  Room  to- 
gether with  the  Photographs,  Music  and  Manuscripts  Rooms, 
might  be  connected  so  that  when  desired  they  could  be  converted 
into  an  Exhibition  Room. 

If  convenient  the  Art  Book  Room  should  be  near  the  Reference 
Room. 

If  located  on  different  floors,  the  Art  Book  Room  and  Photographic 
Room  should  be  connected  by  a  large  size  book  lift. 

Auditor's  Office,  see  Finance  Department. 

Auditorium.  It  is  a  question  whether  in  view  of  the  nearness 
of  the  Brooklyn  Institute  the  Library  should  provide  an  auditorium. 
If  so,  it  should  be  capable  of  being  turned  into  an  Exhibition  Room, 
which  see. 

It  is  probable  that  a  seating  capacity  of  400  or  500  would  be 
sufficient,  although  it  may  be  thought  best  to  provide  for  1,500. 

If  arranged  so  as  to  be  used  as  an  Exhibition  Room  it  might  be 
subdivided  by  movable  partitions. 

It  should  be  provided  with  lantern  and  screen. 

This  hall  should  be  used  for  literary  purposes  only. 

May  be  placed  on  top  floor  or  basement.  If  the  latter,  there 
should  be  an  outside  entrance,  and  also  one  from  the  library  proper. 

Automatic  Book  Carrier,  see  Book  Carrier. 

Back  Numbers  of  Magazines,  see  Periodical  Reading  Room. 

Bell  Collection.  A  collection  of  12,000  volumes  given  by  Mr 
James  A.  H.  Bell  on  the  conditions  that  it  should  be  in  a  separate 
room,  and  that  the  books  should  be  for  reference  purposes  only. 

Need  not  connect  with  any  other  room. 

Bells.  Connection  might  be  made  from  some  of  the  rooms, 
such  as  Librarians',  Delivery,  Reference,  with  the  janitor  and 
engineer. 

There  should  be  outside  door  bells  so  arranged  that  the  current 
to  same  may  be  turned  off  or  on.  Switches  to  be  under  lock  and 
key  inside  the  building. 


APPENDIX  375 

Bicycle  Room.  A  small  space  is  probably  all  that  will  be  neces- 
sary, and  it  is  a  question  whether  racks  outside,  or  inside  the  build 
ing  on  ground  floor  would  not  serve  the  purpose. 

Bindery.  A  room  should  be  provided  large  enough  to  hold 
heavy  machinery  and  to  enable  the  library  to  have  its  own  binding 
done  within  the  building,  although  it  is  not  at  all  certain  whether 
it  is  not  more  economical  to  give  the  use  of  the  room  to  some  binder 
and  arrange  with  him  to  do  the  work  at  so  much  per  volume. 

Should  go  in  the  basement  near  the  Repair  Room. 

If  all  binding  is  not  done  by  the  Library,  the  Repair  Room  if 
made  larger  will  accommodate  the  necessary  machinery  for  what  is 
to  be  done,  and  should  be  so  constructed  as  to  bear  the  weight  of 
heavy  machinery. 

Blind  Department,  see  Library  for  the  Blind. 

Boiler  Room,  see  Heating  Plant. 

Book  Carrier.  A  noiseless  device  for  carrying  books  from  the 
Book  Stack  to  the  Delivery  Desks  in  the 

(a)  Reference  Room. 

(b)  Delivery  Room. 

(c)  Periodical  Reading  Room. 

(d)  Children's  Room. 

(e)  Delivery  Station  Room. 

(/)  Wherever  rooms  are  indicated  as  near  Stack  and  cannot 
be  so  placed  the  carrier  might  be  used. 

A  very  successful  carrier  made  by  the  Lamson  Store  Service  Co. 
is  said  to  be  in  use  by  the  Carnegie  Library  of  Pittsburgh.  The 
Library  of  Congress  and  Boston  Public  Library  also  have  carriers. 

Book  Order  Department.  Including  the  Ordering  and  Re- 
ceiving Departments.  Orders  for  books  are  sent  to  this  department 
and  forwarded  to  the  publishers.  Books  are  received  from  the 
same  source,  unpacked,  checked  with  the  bill,  etc.,  before  they  go 
to  the  Cataloguing  Department.  A  part  of  the  room  should  be 
arranged  as  a  Receiving  Room  where  the  cases  of  books  could  ba 
unpacked. 

It  should  be  on  the  ground  floor  near  the  Packing  Room  and 
the  depository  sections  of  the  Stack  which  contain  the  stock  of  unas- 
signed  books  (20,000  volumes)  and  the  little  used  books  (30,000 
volumes).  It  should  be  connected  with,  but  not  necessarily  adja- 
cent to,  the  Cataloguing  Department,  with  which  it  might  be  con- 
nected with  a  freight  elevator,  so  that  truck  loads  of  books  can  be 
quickly  transferred. 

A  small  office  or  office  space  for  the  Superintendent  should  be 
provided. 


376  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

Bound  Files  of  Newspapers,  see  Newspaper  Reading  Room. 

Bound  Files  of  Magazines,  see  Periodical  Reading  Room. 

Branches,  Superintendent,  see  Executive  offices. 

Building  Superintendent's  Room.  An  office  for  the  Superin- 
tendent of  the  building  should  be  provided  near  the  entrance  on 
the  ground  floor. 

Building,  Size  of.  Inasmuch  as  the  plot  is  surrounded  by 
broad  open  spaces  the  building  may  be  brought  much  nearer  the  lot 
line  than  would  otherwise  be  desirable.  Unnecessary  space  should 
not  be  given  to  halls  and  corridors,  although  these  should  be  ample. 

The  size  of  the  Reference  and  Reading  Rooms  may  be  increased 
if  theie  is  any  additional  space  available. 

Card  Gases,  see  Furniture  —  Card  Catalog  Cases. 

Cataloguing  Department  (Official).  Books  for  all  branches 
of  the  library  as  well  as  all  departments  and  the  Central  Library 
are  accessioned,  and  catalogued  by  this  department. 

Space  should  be  allowed  for  at  least  fifty  employees.  It  may  be 
on  the  third  floor.  It  should  connect  with  the  Book  Order  Depart- 
ment as  indicated,  and  be  located  near  Traveling  Libraries  and 
Interchange  Departments. 

An  office  or  office  space  should  be  provided  for  the  Superintendent 
of  the  department. 

The  freight  elevator  might  open  into  a  small  room  or  hallway 
adjoining  the  Cataloguing  Department  instead  of  opening  directly 
into  the  room  itself. 

The  room  should,  if  possible,  be  so  planned  that  there  will  be 
good  light  on  both  sides  so  that  desks  may  be  placed  on  both  sides 
of  the  room. 

The  space  allotted  to  the  department  may,  if  necessary,  be 
divided  into  two  connecting  rooms,  one  of  which  would  contain 
some  thirty  typewriting  machines. 

Alcoves  formed  by  book  cases  might  be  placed  on  one  side  of 
the  room  to  separate  the  desks  of  the  typewriters  from  each  other. 

Space  must  also  be  allowed  for  card  catalog  cases  for  2,000,000 
volumes.  These  may  be  placed  back  to  back  and  form  a  sort  of 
partition  through  the  middle  of  the  room. 

Cataloguing  Department  —  Library  of  Congress  Depository 
Catalog.  The  cards  of  the  Library  of  Congress  Catalog  are 
filed  in  Catalog  Cases  in  this  room  and  the  Catalog  must  be 
accessible  to  the  public,  and  should  adjoin  the  Official  Cataloguing 
Department.  Provision  should  be  made  for  at  least  fifty  cata- 
log cases  in  addition  to  table,  desk,  chairs,  e^ c. 


APPENDIX  377 

Catalog  Room  (Public).  Contains  a  catalog  of  all  books 
in  the  Library  system  printed  on  cards,  and  arranged  similar  to  those 
in  the  Official  Catalog  Department.  It  would  be  used  by  the 
public  and  should  be  near  the  Reference  Room  so  that  the  Reference 
Librarian  could  use  and  supervise  it. 

If  possible  it  should  be  accessible  for  the  Delivery  Department  and 
Official  Cataloguing  Department.  Space  should  be  provided  for 
the  same  number  of  cases  as  in  the  Official  Department.  These 
cases  could  be  placed  against  the  walls  or  in  rows. 

Charging  Desk,  see  Furniture  —  Delivery  Desk. 

Check  Room,  see  Coat  and  Parcel  Room  —  Public. 

Children's  Room.  A  room  for  the  use  of  the  juvenile  bor- 
rowers of  the  library,  All  juvenile  books  will  be  charged  and  dis- 
charged in  this  room.  Provision  should  be  made  for  seating  about 
two  hundred  children.  The  total  space  allotted  for  this  department 
may  be  divided  so  that  there  will  be  an  office  for  the  Superintendent 
(who  has  charge  of  the  wcrk  with  children),  a  small  room  to  contain 
a  selected  collection  of  juvenile  books  which  may  be  consulted  by 
teachers,  parents,  etc.,  and  the  reading  and  delivery  room  for  chil- 
dren. A  portion  of  the  latter  might  perhaps  be  partitioned  off  for 
reference  use.  Plenty  of  room  should  be  provided  for  this  purpose. 

This  department  should  be  situated  near  the  Delivery  Rocm  of 
the  library,  and  if  possible,  connect  directly  with  the  Open  Shelf 
Room  of  that  department. 

The  entrance  to  this  room  should  be  similar  to  that  at  the  Pacific 
Branch  Library,  i.e.,  two  doors,  one  for  entrance  and  one  for  exit, 
with  a  seat  for  visitors  and  a  railed  space  where  they  may  stand 
without  interfering  with  the  children  who  use  the  room. 

If  possible,  this  room  should  be  easily  reached  from  the  street 
without  stairs  or  with  but  few.  The  entrance,  however,  should 
not  be  directly  into  the  room. 

Circulation  Department,  see  Delivery  Department. 

Cleaner's  Room.  A  room  near  janitor's  with  lockers,  cupboards, 
etc.,  in  which  clothes,  pails,  mops  may  be  kept. 

Cleaning  Device,  see  Vacuum  Cleaning  Apparatus. 

Closets.  Closets  or  cupboards  for  the  storage  of  supplies,  etc., 
should  be  provided  in  the  various  departments  and  work  rooms. 

Closets  for  janitor's  brooms,  mops,  etc.,  together  with  a  sink 
should  be  located  on  each  floor. 

Club  Rooms,  see  Study  Rooms. 

Coal  Bins.     Coal  bins  of  200  tons  capacity  should  be  provided. 

Coat  and  Parcel  Rooms,  Public.  A  room  should  be  provided 
where  coats,  parcels,  umbrellas,  etc.,  may  be  checked. 


378  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

This  should  be  located  near  the  main  entrance. 

If  the  auditorium  is  placed  on  the  top  floor  a  similar  room  should 
be  located  near  it. 

Committee  Room,  see  Executive  Offices. 

Copying  Room,  see  Writing  and  Copying  Room. 

Cork  Carpet,  see  Floor  Covering. 

Dark  Room,  see  Photographic  Room. 

Delivery  Department.  From  this  room  the  books  for  home 
use  would  be  circulated,  and  borrowers  would  be  allowed  free  access 
to  the  shelves. 

This  room  should  be  easily  accessible  from  the  street  without 
any,  or,  with  but  few  stairs. 

It  might  connect  with  the  Children's  Room,  but  it  is  not  neces- 
sary that  it  connect  with  the  Reference  and  Reading  Rooms. 

A  collection  of  possibly  35,000  volumes  of  the  most  popular 
and  standard  books  should  be  placed  in  a  room  arranged  with  wall 
shelving  and  stacks  something  like  our  branch  libraries.  This  will 
not  prevent  readers  from  having  access  to  other  books  under  restric- 
tions. 

Space  should  be  provided  in  this  room  for  a  Registration  Desk 
with  a  possible  provision  for  a  Union  Register  of  all  borrowers  in 
the  system. 

Delivery  Desks,  see  Furniture  —  Delivery  Desks. 

Delivery  Station  Room.  The  library  -system  may,  in  the  near 
future  be  extended,  by  the  establishment  of  delivery  and  deposit 
stations  throughout  the  city  at  which  places  borrowers  may  leave 
books  in  the  morning  amd  receive  others  later  in  the  day.  The 
books  so  left  will  be  sent  to  the  Central  Library  to  be  exchanged 
and  a  room  should  be  provided  where  this  work  can  be  done. 

This  might  be  near  or  part  of  the  Interchange  Department, 
although  this  arrangement  may  not  be  feasible,  as  it  is  desirable 
that  the  Interchange  Department  should  be  located  near  the  Cata- 
loguing Department  so  that  the  Catalog  may  be  consulted  by  it, 
and  the  Delivery  Station  Room  should  be  on  the  ground  floor  to 
facilitate  the  handling  of  boxes,  etc. 

Depository  Stock,  see  Stack  Depository. 

Driveway.  A  driveway  for  teams  should  run  through  from  Flat- 
bush  avenue  to  Eastern  Parkway  and  into  the  court,  if  one  is  con- 
templated. The  Packing,  Delivery  Station  and  Book  Order  Depart- 
ment should  open  directly  upon  the  driveway.  If  these  are  below 
the  street  level,  a  movable  platform  should  be  provided. 


APPENDIX  379 

Dust  Flues.  Unless  the  vacuum  cleaning  apparatus  is  installed, 
dust  flues  and  compressed  air  with  openings  on  each  floor  of  the  Stack 
and  in  the  principal  rooms  in  the  main  building  may  answer  all 
purposes. 

Elevators.  Elevators  should  run  from  the  basement  to  the  top 
floor.  Two  passenger  elevators  for  the  public,  and  one  for  the 
staff  should  be  provided.  A  freight  elevator  large  enough  to  hold 
two  or  three  trucks  (such  as  used  at  Montague)  at  a  time  will  be 
needed.  This  elevator  may  open  into  a  hallway  or  room  adjoin- 
ing the  Cataloguing  Department  if  such  an  arrangement  works  out 
better. 

Book  lifts  should  also  be  generously  distributed. 
If  the  auditorium  is  on  the  top  floor  one  elevator  should  be  so 
situated  as  to  be  convenient  for  those  using  the  auditorium. 
Employees,  see  Staff. 

Engineers'  Club.  It  is  a  question  whether  a  meeting  room 
should  be  provided  for  the  exclusive  use  of  this  particular  club, 
although  it  seems  desirable  that  a  place  should  be  provided  where 
this  and  clubs  of  a  similar  nature  could  hold  meetings  from  time  to 
time. 

If  a  meeting  room  is  provided  for  the  Engineers' Club  it  should  be 
adjacent  to  the  Stack  where  books  of  a  scientific  nature  are  stored. 

Engineer's  Rooms.     There  should  be  two  Connecting  rooms  for 
the  use  of  the  Chief  Engineer;    one  to  be  used  as  an  office,  possibly 
containing  closets  for  the  stowing  of  supplies;    and  the  other  to  be 
equipped  as  a  work  room  with  work  bench,  forge,  anvil,  etc. 
These  rooms  should  be  separate  from  the  Boiler  Room. 
Entrances.     Should  be  provided  on  the  front  and  sides  of  the 
building  for  the  public,  and  one  in  the  rear  for  freight,  etc. 

A  separate  entrance  should  also  be  provided  for  the  Staff. 
'    Executive  Offices.     This  suite  of  offices  consists  of  the  following 
rooms:  — 

Trustees'  Room. 

Committee  Room. 

Librarian's  Public  Office. 

Librarian's  Private  Office. 

Librarian's  Secretary's  Office. 

Stenographers'  Room. 

Assistant  Librarian's  Office. 

Supt.  of  Branches.1 

Finance  Department  (Here  or  on  top  floor). 

1  The  offices  of  the  other  superintendents  are  directly  connected  with 
their  respective  departments. 


380  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  rooms  in  this  group  might  be  arranged  similar  to  the  offices 
in  large  business  houses  with  a  central  waiting  room. 

The  Trustees'  Room  and  Committee  Room  should  adjoin  and  be 
connected  with  large  folding  doors.  There  should  be  an  ante  or 
waiting  room.  Also  lockers,  hat  boxes,  etc.  Toilet  and  Bath  Room 
should  also  be  provided,  as  at  Boston. 

The  Librarian's  Private  Office  should  connect  directly  with  the 
Trustees'  and  Committee  Rooms. 

The  Librarian's  Public  Office  might  also  serve  as  a  waiting  room 
for  the  Trustees'  and  Assistant  Librarian's  Offices. 

The  Librarian's  Room  should  be  easily  accessible  to  the  public 
and  as  near  as  many  departments  of  the  library  as  possible. 

Exhibition  Room,  see  Auditorium. 

This  room  might  be  made  by  so  arranging  certain  rooms,  such 
as  the  Art  Book,  Manuscripts,  Music,  Photographic  Rooms,  etc., 
that  they  could  be  converted  into  an  exhibition  room  at  any  time. 
(This  is  the  better  arrangement).  Exhibitions  of  books,  manu- 
scripts, prints,  etc.,  would  be  held  in  this  room. 

Finance  Department,  see  also  Executive  Offices. 

This  is  intended  for  the  offices  of  the  Treasurer  and  his  assistants. 
Space  should  be  provided'  for  three  or  more  clerks,  with  possibly  a 
small  separate  room  for  the  Treasurer. 

A  vault  should  be  located  in  this  department  for  the  storage  of 
documents,  bills,  etc. 

This  need  not  be  a  part  of  the  Executive  Offices,  but  may  be 
located  on  the  top  floor. 

Fine  Arts  Room,  see  Art  Book  Room. 

Fixed  Furniture,  see  Furniture. 

Floor  Covering.  Rubber  or  cork  carpet  may  be  used,  but  these 
should  not  be  put  over  tiling. 

Floors.  The  kind  of  flooring  for  each  room  should  be  indicated 
by  the  Architect.  Noiseless  floors  should  be  placed  in  all  public 
rooms. 

Floors,  Height  of.  Floors  of  the  main  building  should  coincide 
with  the  level  of  the  floors  of  the  book  stack,  making  the  height 
about  15  feet  or  two  stacks  floors  high,  or  in  that  porportion. 

Floors  in  the  Stack  Building  should  be  7%  feet  between  centers, 
and  should  connect  with  the  floors  of  the  main  building. 

Foreign  Book  Collection.  The  collection  of  books  in  foreign 
languages  for  distribution  among  the  branches  would  be  located  on 
one  of  the  floors  of  the  Book  Stack,  preferably  that  nearest  the 
office  of  the  Interchange  Department.  Provision  should  be  made 
for  about  35,000  volumes. 


APPENDIX  381 

Furniture  —  Fixed  and  Movable.  Specifications  for  the  fur- 
niture required  will  be  furnished  later. 

Garage.  A  room  of  about  400  square  feet  should  be  provided 
for  the  storage  of  library  automobiles  and  equipped  with  machinery 
to  charge  electric  vehicles.  If  space  permits,  it  might  be  advisable 
to  arrange  a  part  of  this  room  for  the  convenience  of  automobilists 
who  use  the  library. 

Heads  of  Departments,  see  Superintendents  of  Depart- 
ments. 

Heating  Plant.  As  this  plant  cannot  be  located  in  a  separate 
building  it  should  be  as  nearly  isolated  as  possible.  It  should  be  so 
constructed  that  there  will  be  ample  room  for  the  handling  of  all 
tools,  especially  while  working  at  the  boilers. 

Height  of  Floor,  see  Floors,  Height  of. 

Information  Desk.  Space  should  be  provided  for  an  informa- 
tion desk  if  possible  near  the  main  entrance,  or  near  the  Reference 
and  Delivery  Departments,  if  they  are  quite  near  together. 

Interchange  Department.  This  department,  which  has  charge 
of  the  interchange  of  books  among  the  branches,  should  have  an 
office  for  superintendents  and  assistants  near  or  connected  with  the 
Traveling  Libraries  Department. 

It  should  also  be  near  or  easily  connected  with  the  Official  or 
Public  Catalog  and  the  Book  Stack. 

Janitor's  Living  Rooms.  It  is  desirable,  if  space  permits, 
that  five  or  six  living  rooms  similar  in  arrangement  to  a  small  apart- 
ment be  provided  for  the  janitor  so  that  he  may  be  in  the  building 
at  all  times. 

These  rooms  should  be  located  on  the  top  floor. 

Janitor's  Rooms.  A  work  room  containing  lockers,  and  closets 
for  the  storage  of  necessary  tools  should  be  located  in  the  base- 
ment for  the  use  of  the  janitor.  An  office  for  his  use  might  also  be 
provided. 

These  rooms  should  be  near  the  Stock  and  Store  Rooms  and  the 
Supply  Department. 

Lavatories,  see  Toilets. 

Lecture  Room,  see  Auditorium. 

Librarian's  Office,  see  Executive  Offices. 

Librarian,  Assistant,  see  Executive  Offices. 

Library  for  the  Blind.  This  is  intended  for  the  use  of  the 
blind  readers  and  their  guides.  Provision  should  be  made  both  for 
the  delivery  of  books  for  home  use,  for  reading  in  the  library  and 
for  "readings."  A  small  lecture  room  separated  from  the  Delivery 
Room  should  be  provided  for  the  latter  purpose. 


382  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  blind  borrowers  would  be  registered  at  this  department  rather 
than  at  the  General  Registration  Desk. 

The  best  location  for  this  department  is  on  the  ground  floor, 
although  it  may  be  placed  on  the  top  floor.  It  should  be  located 
near  a  stack  accommodating  15,000  volumes. 

This  is  perhaps  the  one  department  of  the  library  which  might, 
if  necessary,  be  located  at  some  branch,  possibly  Montague  —  instead 
of  in  the  Central  Building  without  affecting  seriously  other  depart- 
ments. 

Library  of  Congress  Cards,  see  Cataloguing  Department. 

Lighting  Plant.  Even  if  the  library  does  not  install  its  own 
lighting  plant,  space  should  at  least  be  provided  for  it  in  the  sub- 
basement. 

Wherever  table  lights  are  used  as  probably  in  the  Reference  and 
Cataloguing  Departments,  they  should  be  movable  and  so  arranged 
that  they  will  not  get  in  the  way  of  readers'  feet. 

So  far  as  possible,  general  illumination  is  better  than  individual 
lights. 

Little  Used  Books,  see  Stack  —  Depository. 

Lockers.  Clothing  lockers,  open  and  well  ventilated,  with 
shelves  for  hats,  should  be  abundantly  provided. 

Lockers  for  men  end  women  should  be  located  near  the  staff 
entrance,  and  in  addition,  a  few  lockers  should  be  provided  in  each 
department. 

The  lockers  should  also  be  near  the  service  elevator.  The  quarters 
might  be  divided  so  to  partially  separate  men,  women,  boys  and 
girls. 

Lunch  Room  for  Staff,  see  Staff  Lunch  Room. 

Lunch  room  —  Public,  see  Public  Restaurant. 

Magazine  Room,  see  Periodical  Reading  Room. 

Main  Reading  Room,  see  Reference  Room. 

Manuscript  Department.  Room  where  valuable  manuscripts 
would  be  kept.  It  might  be  near  Map  or  Art  Book  Room  and 
form  one  of  the  latter  suite. 

Map  Room.  Provision  should  be  made  in  this  room  or  the  con- 
venient handling  of  maps  of  various  sizes  and  kinds. 

This  should  be  near  the  Reference  Room  for  the  sake  of  super- 
vision. 

Mechanical  Service  and  Equipment,  see  Book  Carriers, 
Telephones,  etc. 

Music  Room.  Provision  should  be  made  here  or  in  a  nearby 
Stack  for  15,000  bound  volumes  of  books  about  music,  and  for  the 
musical  scores  which  will  be  placed  flat  on  shelves  or  in  drawers. 


APPENDIX  383 

(It  might  form  one  of  the  suite  with  the  Art  Book  Room,  etc.)  The 
circulation  of  books  from  this  department  might  be  from  the  room 
itself  rather  than  from  the  Main  Delivery  Desk. 

Adjoining  should  be  a  piano  room  with  thick  walls  to  deaden 
sound. 

Newspaper  Reading  Room.  If  out-of-town  newspapers  are 
supplied  a  larger  room  will  be  needed  than  as  though  only  local 
papers  are  taken.  (It  is  a  question  whether  it  is  best  to  supply 
local  papers  at  all).  In  any  event  the  papers  will  be  in  newspaper 
files  on  regular  racks  placed  on  the  walls  or  separate  stands.  No 
shelving  (unless  for  local  papers)  need  be  provided  here,  but  in  an 
adjoining  room  the  back  numbers  will  be  made  accessible. 

This  room  should  be  on  ground  floor  with  separate  outside 
entrance  if  any  papers  are  taken. 

The  bound  volumes  of  newspapers  take  up  much  room  and  ample 
space  should  be  provided  in  adjoining  Stack  so  that  they  might  be 
placed  flat  on  roller  shelves  and  provision  made  for  5,000  volumes 
and  growth  for  twenty-five  years. 

Open  Shelves,  see  Delivery  Department. 

Order  Department,  see  Book  Order  Department,  see  also 
Supply  Department. 

Order  and  Receiving  Room,  see  Book  Order  Department. 

Packing  Room.  Books  are  received  here  from  the  Cataloguing 
Department  and  sent  out  to  the  Branches. 

It  should  be  on  the  ground  floor  near  the  Book  Order  and  Supply 
Departments  and  contain  bins  for  at  least  forty  branches,  so  that 
when  books  and  supplies  are  to  be  sent  out  they  may  be  placed  in 
specific  places  preparatory  to  being  shipped,  and  thus  facilitate  the 
distribution  of  everything  to  branches. 

The  bins  might  be  on  rollers  or  tracks  unless  it  is  found  better 
to  make  them  permanent  and  use  ordinary  trucks  around  the  room. 

Parcel  Room,  see  Coat  Room. 

Patent  Room.  All  reports  and  specifications  relating  to  Ameri- 
can and  foreign  patents  belong  in  this  room  or  adjoining  Stack. 

It  should  be  near  the  Reference  and  Public  Documents  Rooms. 

Provision  should  be  made  in  the  room  itself  for  seventy-five  or 
one  hundred  readers,  shelving  for  the  most  used  volumes,  and  near 
a  stack  to  contain  20,000.  Many  of  the  specifications  will  be  laid 
flat.  Boston  seems  large  enough  if  sufficient  stack  space  is  pro- 
vided. 

Periodical  Reading  Room.  The  current  magazines  will  be 
placed  on  tables  and  racks,  and  the  bound  volumes  of  periodicals 
would  be  used  in  this  room  as  well  as  in  the  Reference  Room.  It 


384  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

should  therefore  be  near  stack  with  capacity  of  '50,000  volumes  for 
bound  periodicals.  The  room  should  be  connected  with  or  under 
the  Reference  Room,  with  stairs  connecting. 

If  found  best  to  locate  this  room  elsewhere  it  may  be  placed 
near  newspaper  room  and  made  accessible  from  street. 

A  room  adjoining  would  have  shelves  and  cases  for  the  unbound 
back  numbers  as  in  Newark. 

Photographic  Room.  A  place  for  taking  pictures,  consequently 
a  "dark  room,"  should  adjoin. 

It  might  be  in  attic  or  one  of  the  Art  Book  suite,  but  in  any  event 
should  be  connected  with  Art  Book  Room  so  that  large  books  may 
be  easily  conveyed  by  lift  or  otherwise  from  one  to  the  other.  Pro- 
vision should  be  made  for  the  storage  of  photographs.  It  should 
be  well  lighted  as  the  walls  may  be  used  for  the  exhibition  of  pic- 
tures, etc. 

The  "dark  room"  should  have  plenty  of  storage  space  for  slides 
and  negatives. 

Plot,  see  Site. 

Pneumatic  Tubes.  Most  liberal  provision  should  be  made 
for  communicating  between  Delivery  Rooms,  Departments  and 
Stacks.  (See  also  Book  Carrier). 

Printing  Plant.  It  is  a  question  of  policy  whether  a  large  or 
small  plant  should  be  installed.  If  former,  there  will  always  be 
trouble  with  labor  unions,  etc.  Provision  should  at  least  be  made 
for  a  few  small  presses  to  do  such  necessary  work  as  printing  bul- 
letins, lists,  catalog  cards,  etc. 

Prints  Room,  see  Art  Book  Room. 

Public  Catalog,  see  Catalog  —  Public. 

Public  Documents  Room.  It  is  intended  to  provide  for  per- 
haps fifty  readers  and  have  a  near  Stack  accommodation  for  all 
public  documents,  both  national  and  state.  This  room  might  be 
near  the  Patents  Room  and  Reference  Room. 

Public  Reception  Room.  Part  of  Public  Telephone  and  Pub- 
lic Stenographer's  Room  might  adjoin  an  "Emergency  Hospital," 
as  suggested  by  Dr.  Backus. 

See  also  Writing  and  Copying  Room,  Public. 

Public  Restaurant.  If  this  could  be  provided  for  in  connec- 
tion with  staff  lunch  room  it  would  be  desirable  so  that  all-day 
students  could  obtain  lunch. 

Public  Telephone,  see  Telephone,  Public. 

Public  Toilet  Rooms,  see  Toilet  Rooms,  Public. 

Radiators.  These  might  be  placed  inside  the  walls  without 
taking  up  room  or  shelving  space,  but  of  course  accessible  by  taking 


APPENDIX  385 

out  division  of  shelving,  or  radiators  might  form  a  base  10  inches  to 
14  inches  from  floor  under  book  cases  —  if  not  too  hot 

Rare  and  Restricted  Books  Room.  Here  would  be  kept  the 
precious  books.  It  is  essential  that  the  vault  run  through  this 
section.  Rare  books  and  prints  would  be  preserved  and  displayed 
here. 

It  should  possibly  be  part  of  Art  Book  suite. 

Reading  Rooms,  see  Reference  Department  and  under 
different  headings,  as  Periodical  Reading  Room,  Technical 
and  Scientific  Periodical  Room,  etc. 

Receiving  Room,  see  Book  Order  Department;  see  also 
Packing  Room 

Reception  Room,  see  Public  Reception  Room. 

Reference  Department.  This  room  will  serve  for  general  and 
reference  purposes,  access  being  had  to  as  many  of  the  departments 
and  special  collections  as  possible.  For  the  sake  of  convenience 
and  supervision  the  special  collections  might  be  grouped  around  this 
room. 

It  should  be  on  the  second  floor,  with  large  windows  to  about 
4  feet  of  the  floor.  Seating  capacity  for  from  450  to  600  readers 
should  be  provided.  It  may  be  found  easy  to  place  this  room  on 
the  top  floor  with  light  from  above,  although  such  an  arrangement 
does  not  seem  desirable.  This  will  be  the  largest  room  in  the 
building. 

The  public  catalog  should  be  near  by  so  that  it  might  be  used 
and  supervised  by  the  Reference  Librarian. 

A  delivery  desk  must  also  be  provided  on  the  same  floor  as  the 
Reference  Department  so  that  the  serious  student  may  have  books 
used  by  him  in  the  Reference  Department  charged  without  being 
obliged  to  go  into  the  Delivery  Department.  This  desk  may  be 
located  in  the  Reference  Room,  or  it  may  be  possible  to  locate  it  in 
the  Public  Catalog  Room  so  that  the  orders  of  those  consulting 
the  Catalog  may  be  sent  directly  to  the  Stack  and  the  book  be 
delivered  to  the  borrower  in  that  room.  If  the  Public  Catalog 
room  is  on  the  same  floor  as  the  Reference  Room  the  books  from 
that  department  could  be  sent  to  the  Delivery  Desk  in  the  Public 
Catalog  Room. 

It  is  desirable  to  use  the  same  Delivery  Room  for  charging  books 
from  both  Reference  and  Delivery  Departments. 

Registration  Room.  This  is  where  the  record  of  the  individual 
is  kept.  If  on  Brooklyn  plan  only  a  few  cases  will  be  necessary, 
but  if  on  Boston  plan  where  there  is  a  Central  Registration  more 
space  will  be  necessary. 


386  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

In  any  event  it  should  be  in  or  near  the  Delivery  Department. 

Repair  Room.  This  is  where  books  are  repaired  by  the  staff. 
It  should  be  in  the  basement  and  near  the  bindery,  and  better 
connect  with  it. 

Repository  for  Little  Used  Books,  see  Stack  Depository. 

Restaurant,  see  Public  Restaurant. 

Restricted  Books,  see  Rare  and  Restricted  Books. 

Roof.  Avoid  skylights  as  much  as  possible,  as  the  best  of  them 
will  leak. 

Rubber,  see  Floor  Covering. 

Safes,  see  Vaults. 

Scientific  Periodical  Room,  see  Technical  and  Scientific 
Periodical  Room. 

Screens.  Window  screens  should  be  provided  to  exclude  dust, 
flies,  mosquitoes,  etc. 

Service  Stairs,  see  Stairs. 

Shades.     Should  be  provided  for  all  windows. 

Shelving.  It  seems  best  to  leave  the  matter  of  shelving  for  the 
different  rooms  until  a  conference  can  be  had  with  the  Architect 
regarding  the  dimensions  and  location  of  the  different  rooms. 

Site.  The  site  is  a  quadrilateral,  measuring  69  feet  8  inches  on 
the  Plaza,  332  feet  on  the  Parkway,  486  feet  0  inches  along  the 
Reservoir  fence  and  498  feet  4  inches  along  Flatbush  avenue. 

Special  Collections,  see  Bell  Collection,  Manuscripts,  Rare 
Books,  etc. 

Special  Study  Rooms,  see  Study  Rooms. 

Stack.  Accommodations  should  be  provided  for  1,500,000  or 
2,000,000,  as  suggested  by  Prof.  A.  D.  F.  Hamlin.  Estimates  may 
be  based  on  an  allowance  of  eight  volumes  to  the  running  foot, 
except  where  reference  books  and  art  books  are  to  be  shelved,  when 
not  more  than  six  volumes  should  be  allowed.  It  should  be  in  the 
rear  of  building  if  natural  light  is  desired  or  in  the  centre  if  electric 
light  can  be  provided.  In  the  latter  case  all  of  the  outside  space 
could  be  utilized  for  rooms.  Attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that 
Boston,  New  York  and  the  John  Crerar  Library,  Chicago,  have 
found  artificial  light  for  stacks  sufficient. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  this  of  all  parts  of  the  building  should 
be  fireproof,  with  emergency  fireproof  doors  between  this  and  the 
main  building. 

Each  stack  story  will  be  7  feet  to  7J^  wide,  in  the  clear,  the  archi- 
tect to  name,  when  submitting  the  plans,  the  particular  stack  to 
be  used.  No  stack  should  be  more  than  7  feet  high,  9  or  12  feet 
long;  8  inches  deep,  if  single,  or  16  inches  deep  if  double,  back  to 


APPENDIX  387 

back;  12  inches  if  reference.  The  aisles  should  be  3  feet  wide, 
with  side  aisles  3  to  4  feet  wide  along  the  walls. 

Provision  should  be  made  for  the  maximum  capacity  indicated 
and  the  Architect  should  show  how  the  stack  could  be  extended  to 
serve  for  double  the  capacity. 

Under  shelving  will  be  indicated  the  wall  capacity  desired. 

Stack  —  Depository.  When  opportunity  offers,  purchases  of 
books  are  made  from  second-hand  dealers  and  others  even  if  not 
needed  at  the  time.  A  stock  in  trade  is  thus  formed  and  orders 
received  from  Branches  are  filled  here  whenever  possible.  These 
books  may  be  stored  in  the  Stack  near  the  Book  Order  Depart- 
ment, and  accommodation  should  be  provided  for  35,000  volumes. 

Books  seldom  called  for  or  little  used  should  also  be  housed  in 
the  Depository  Stack.  Space  should  be  provided  for  30,000  volumes. 

The  Depository  Stack  might  be  placed  underneath  the  street 
level  as  has  been  done  in  Vienna.  At  least  three  stack  floors  could 
thus  be  obtained. 

Staff  Rooms.  Under  this  head  should  be  included  all  rooms, 
other  than  work  rooms,  used  by  the  Staff.  It  is  likely  that  150  - 
250  employees  will  have  places  in  the  Central  Building,  and  it  is 
essential  that  adequate  provision  should  be  made  for  male  and 
female  adult  employees,  messengers,  (boys  and  girls)  janitors, 
cleaners,  etc. 

A  separate  entrance  should  be  provided  for  the  staff  and  lockers 
for  their  use  as  indicated  under  that  heading. 

The  following  rooms  should  be  provided,  Staff  Lunch  and  Sitting 
Rooms,  with  butler's  pantry  and  kitchen,  and  a  special  room  for 
meetings  of  the  Staff.  These  may  be  located  in  a  mezzanine  floor 
or  be  placed  in  the  basement  or  top  floor.  They  should,  however, 
be  so  situated  as  to  be  easily  accessible  from  as  many  departments 
as  possible  so  that  assistants  will  not  waste  time  in  going  to  and 
fro.  Private  stairs  may  be  provided  as  in  the  Newark  Public 
Library. 

Staff  Lunch  Room.  If  possible  the  Lunch  Room  should  be 
divided  so  that  the  Superintendents  of  Departments  could  lunch 
together  without  interfering  with  the  scheduled  hours  of  the  balance 
of  the  Staff. 

Such  an  arrangement  would  make  it  possible  for  the  Superin- 
endents  of  Departments  to  discuss  library  problems  while  at  lunch. 

If  two  Lunch  Rooms  are  provided  a  large  butler's  pantry  should 
adjoin  each  room.  These  would  contain  cupboards,  closets,  sinks, 
refrigerators,  gas  stoves,  china  closets,  etc.,  so  arranged  that  each 
assistant  could  have  her  own  things. 


388  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

If  a  Public  Restaurant  is  planned,  the  kitchen  of  that  might 
be  connected  with  the  Staff  Rooms  so  that  the  Staff  as  well  as  the 
public  might  be  served  from  it. 

Staff  Meeting  Room.  Here  the  members  of  the  whole  staff 
would  meet  once  a  month  for  the  regular  business  meetings,  and 
possibly  oftener,  to  talk  over  matters  pertaining  to  the  interests  of 
the  institution.  The  attendance  might  be  from  100  to  200. 

Possibly  these  meetings  could  be  held  in  the  Apprentice  Class 
Room.  If  a  separate  room  is  provided  it  should  be  in  combination 
with  the  other  Staff  rooms. 

Staff  Sitting  Room.  A  comfortable  place  for  the  assistants  to 
rest  in  after  lunch  should  adjoin  the  Lunch  Rooms.  The  Sitting 
and  Lunch  Rooms  should  be  so  connected  that  the  three  could  be 
thrown  into  one. 

The  Sitting  Room  would  also  be  used  in  cases  of  temporary  ill- 
ness, and  should  have  couches  and  ordinary  medical  appliances. 

Stairs.  None  should  be  circular  This  point  cannot  be  too 
emphatically  indicated. 

So  far  as  possible  all  stairs  should  be  inside  the  building. 

Easy  risers  —  possibly  not  more  than  4  inches  are  desirable. 

Separate  stairs  should  be  provided  for  Staff,  and  when  possible 
the  different  departments  should  be  connected  by  private  stairway, 
this  to  insure  easy  and  quick  communication  between  different 
floors  and  departments. 

Standard  Library.  This  consists  of  a  collection  of  the  best  books 
as  introduced  by  Mr.  Foster  of  the  Providence  Public  Library.  It 
would  contain  books  in  best  editions  which  would  be  recommended 
for  purchase  by  private  buyers.  It  could  be  placed  in  one  of  the 
study  rooms  or  better  in  Reference  or  Delivery  Room,  but  it  should 
be  capable  of  supervision 

Statistical  Department.  This  forms  one  of  the  Special  Refer- 
ence Rooms  where  books  on  statistics,  economics,  etc.,  would  be 
shelved. 

Stenographer's  Room,  Public.  For  the  use  of  those  who  wish 
to  dictate  letters  or  addresses. 

It  might  be  near  the  Public  Telephone  or  Writing  and  Copying 
Room. 

Stenographers'  Room  (Official),  see  Executive  Offices. 

Stock  Room  (Books),  see  Stack,  Depository. 

Stock  Room  (supplies).  The  ordinary  Branch  supplies  such 
as  printing,  stationery,  brooms,  soap,  etc.,  are  bought  in  quanti- 
ties and  stored  at  the  library.  Branch  "wants"  are  thus  quickly 
and  cheaply  supplied. 


APPENDIX  889 

It  could  be  under  or  near  the  Supply  Department  (which  see). 

Closets,  cupboards  and  shelving  in  plenty,  with  special  arrange- 
ment as  to  "bins"  provided. 

Storeroom  (supplies).  This  is  intended  for  brooms,  pails,  etc., 
used  by  janitor  about  the  Central  Building.  It  is  not  the  same  as 
the  Stock  Room  where  supplies  for  the  whole  system  are  kept, 
but  may  be  near  it.  Several  closets  for  such  purpose  should  also 
be  placed  on  each  floor. 

Storeroom  for  Little  Used  Books,  see  Stack,  Depository. 

Study  Rooms.  These  are  for  classes  or  individuals  studying 
particular  subjects,  and  who  need  quiet  and  seclusion.  Sometimes 
it  will  be  used  by  literary  societies  like  a  Browning  Club,  Shakes- 
peare Club,  etc. 

They  should  be  adjacent  to  and  form  a  part  of  the  Reference 
Room.  Although  only  three  or  four  are  mentioned  more  can  be 
used,  and  they  might  be  larger  or  smaller  than  dimensions  given. 

Superintendents  of  Departments.  They  are  Superintendent 
of  Cataloguing  Department,  Superintendent  of  Children's  Work 
Superintendent  of  Book  Orders,  Superintendent  of  Supplies. 

The  Architect  suggests  that  these  might  be  grouped  as  in  a  busi- 
ness house,  with  central  waiting  space  and  with  access  to  each 
other.  Perhaps  a  better  plan  would  be  to  have  the  office  of  each 
Superintendent  near  his  own  department. 

The  office  of  the  Superintendent  of  Branches  would  be  con- 
nected with  the  Executive  suite. 

Supply  Room,  see  Stock  Room  (supplies). 

Supply  Department.  The  Superintendent  of  this  Department 
makes  the  purchases  for  all  the  branches  and  must  therefore  meet 
buyers  as  well  as  Branch  Librarians.  There  should  be  an  outer  and 
inner  office.  A  store  room  should  be  provided  on  this  floor  for  the 
storage  of  stationery,  etc.  This  department  should  have  outside 
entrance  so  that  teams  could  deliver  goods  direct. 

Technical  and  Scientific  Periodical  Room.  Will  contain 
current  scientific  periodicals  and  should  have  bound  volumes  (20,000) 
of  same  on  shelves  in  room  or  in  stack  nearby. 

It  might  be  near  Reference  Department  or  the  Periodical  Read- 
ing Room. 

Telephones,  Official.  Long  distance  telephone,  with  switch 
board  should  be  installed  also  a  complete  system  connecting  all 
departments. 

Telephone,  Public.  Booths  for  the  use  of  the  public  should  also 
be  provided. 


390  LIBRARY  BUILDING 

The  switch  board  for  both  the  public  and  official  telephones  may 
be  the  same  and  this  may  be  located  in  the  Public  Reception  and 
Telephone  Room  on  the  ground  floor,  or  the  switch  board  of  the 
Official  Telephone  may  be  located  in  the  Repair  Room. 

Toilets.  Ample  provision  should  be  made  for  public  and  private 
toilets  for  both  sexes,  but  the  public  toilets  should  be  at  a  distance 
from  any  outside  public  entrance.  Private  toilets  should  be  on 
each  floor,  and  for  Trustees  and  Librarian.  An  attendant  will  be 
needed  in  each  public  toilet  room. 

Traveling  Libraries  Department.  Cases  of  books  are  sent 
from  here  to  schools,  shops,  societies,  clubs,  etc.  An  office  for  the 
Superintendent  of  this  department  and  his  assistants  should  be 
located  near  the  Interchange  and  Foreign  Book  Departments. 
Stack  accommodations  for  50,000  volumes  should  adjoin  the  office. 
It  should  also  be  near  the  freight  elevator. 

Treasurer's  Office  Department.  Space  should  be  provided 
for  Treasurer  who  is  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

Unpacking  Room,  see  Book  Order  Department,  also  Supply 
Dept. 

Vacuum  Gleaning  Apparatus.  The  building  should  be 
equipped  with  the  best  cleaning  system. 

Vaults.  Various  records  such  as  those  of  the  Board,  Librarian, 
Accession  Books  of  Cataloguing  Department,  expensive  and  rare 
books  and  manuscripts  would  be  kept  in  the  vaults. 

They  should  be  at  least  8  x  10  feet  in  the  clear  and  extend  from 
the  basement  to  the  top  with  openings  on  each  floor  into  such 
rooms,  if  possible,  as  Trustees',  Librarian's,  Cataloguing,  Art  Book, 
etc. 

Ventilation,  see  also  Heating. 

The  most  perfect  system  of  ventilation  should  be  introduced 
and  ought  to  be  both  direct  and  indirect.  Particular  attention 
should  be  paid  to  the  Reference  Department,  Delivery  Depart- 
ment, Children's  Room,  Periodical  and  Newspaper  Reading  Rooms 
and  Stack.  As  it  cannot  be  in  a  separate  building  it,  as  well  as  the 
Heating  Plant,  should  be  in  sub-basement. 

Water  Supply.  If  there  is  likely  to  be  trouble  from  low  pres- 
sure an  engine  should  pump  water  into  a  tank  placed  on  the  roof. 
Hot  and  cold  water  for  cleaning  should  be  liberally  supplied  on  each 
floor  for  janitor  service  and  for  staff. 

Windows.  In  the  Stack  they  should  start  from  the  ceiling  and 
go  to  the  floor  and  be  placed  opposite  every  aisle. 


APPENDIX  391 

In  the  main  rooms  they  need  not  come  within  5  feet  of  the  floor 
unless  an  exception  is  made  in  the  Trustees',  Librarian's,  Reference 
and  Periodical  Reading  Rooms,  and  Study  Rooms. 

In  the  Cataloguing  Department  they  should  begin  4  feet  from 
floor  and  extend  to  ceiling. 

Work  Room,  see  Repair  Room. 

Writing  and  Copying  Room  (public).  This  is  a  place  where 
readers  may.  use  ink  and  copy  from  books,  or  do  general  writing. 

It  may  be  near  Stenographers'  room  or  Reference  Department, 
although  the  latter  seems  to  be  the  best  placed. 


INDEX 


Acetylene  gas,  201. 

Adams,  Herbert  B.,  cited,  59,  96, 

130,  325. 
Administration  rooms,    64,  233, 

361. 

Advice,  free,  145. 
Ahern,  Mary  Eileen,  342. 
Air,  308,  360. 
Alcoves,  7,  13,  48,  49,  55,  57,  61, 

189. 

Alterations,  73,  99. 
Altering  new  buildings,  74. 
Amateurs  dangerous,  120. 
Ancient  History,  4,  13. 
American  Institute  of  Architects, 

145,  149,  154. 
American    Library    Association, 

14,  15,  96. 
A.  L.  A.  Com.  on  Ventilation, 

etc.,  212,  308. 
A.  L.  A.  Tract  No.  4,  36,  38,  41, 

277. 

American  Library  Institute,  302. 
Andrews,  Clement  W.,  205,  207, 

307,  332. 

Annual  outlay,  limiting,  104. 
Annual  Register,  301. 
Ante-room,  librarian's,  240. 
Antiquarian  libraries,  59. 
Apprentice  class,  373. 
Approaches,  172. 
Arabs,  7. 
Architect,   Dedication,  32,   146, 

150,  153,  213. 

Architectural  competitions,  154. 
Architectural  Review,  10. 


Architectural  styles,  117. 

Architecture,  29,  31,  119,  329. 

Areas,  224,  373. 

Art  galleries,  72. 

Art  rooms,  329,  333,  374. 

Asinius  Pollio,  4. 

Aspect,  194. 

Assyria,  3,  8. 

Astor  Library,  N.  Y.,  13,  131. 

Athenaeums,  49. 

Attics,  182. 

Auditorium,  374. 

Augustus,  4. 

Automobiles,  260. 

Barometers,  354. 
Basement,  40,  180,  340. 
Begin  early,  100. 
Belden,  Charles  F.  D.,  37. 
Bells,  374. 
Benedict,  Saint,  7. 
Bernardiston,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 
Bethnal  Green  (Eng.)  L.,  299. 
Bibliotheque  St.  Genevieve,  15, 

92. 

Bicycles,  260,  375. 
Billings,  Dr.  John  S.,  177,  212. 
Binding,  253,  375. 
Birmingham  (Eng.)  P.  L.,  98. 
Blades,  Win.,  219. 
Blame  for  faults,  35. 
Blind,  The,  321,  381. 
Bluemner,  Oscar,  39,  40,  89,  93, 

131,  136,  180,  189,  248,  295, 

307. 
Bodleian  L.,  Oxford,  9,  10,  296. 


394 


INDEX 


Bolton,  C.  K.,  337. 
Bookcases,  closed,  272. 

dwarf,  267. 

radial,  274. 

rolling  or  sliding,  75,  299. 
Book  Order  Department,  375. 
Book  storage,  261. 
Books  of  odd  sizes,  267. 
Bookworms,  219. 
Boston  Herald,  15. 
Boston  Public  Library,   13,  15, 

32,   92,  96,   114,  224,  230, 

280. 
Boston    School    Doc.    No.    14, 

1907,  115,  205,  207. 
Boston  Transcript,  88. 
Bostwick,  Arthur  E.,  cited,  17, 

27,  35,  65,  68,  70,  80,  148, 

155,  186,  194,197,231,235, 
241,  247,  251,  252,  254,  256, 
257,  274,  310,  317,  318,  319, 
321,  323,  324,  325,  327,  330, 
331,  332,  333,  342,  344,  345, 
349. 

Bowdoin  College  Lib.,  75,  301. 

Bowerman,  George  F.,  75. 

Boxford,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 

Branch  libraries,  67. 

Branches,  service  of,  256. 

Branford,  Conn.,  P.  L.,  131. 

Brick,  41. 

Brigham,  Johnson,  57. 

British  Museum,  3,  10,  225,  268, 
299,  301,  345. 

Brochure  Series,  cited,  293. 

Brookline,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  105. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  P.  L.,  69,  176, 
226,  242,  367. 

Brown,  Jas.  Duff  —  see  Duff- 
Brown. 

Brown  University  Library,  105, 

156,  205,  246,  287. 
Buckland,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 


Building  Acts,  English,  175. 

Building  committee,  35,  136, 
152. 

Bulletin  boards,  352. 

Burgoyne,  F.  J.,  cited,  23,  25, 
27,  92,  93,  95,  98,  114,  157, 
167,  190, 197,  198,  200,  230, 
259,  268,  296,  299,  315,  316 
320,  330,  354. 

Business  libraries,  52. 

California,  University  of,  156. 

Canfield,  Dr.  James  H.,  60,  134. 

Canterbury,  The  Prior's  Chapel, 
8. 

Capacity  of  shelves,  277,  298. 

Carnegie,  Andrew,  15,  38,  67, 
102,  131. 

Carr,  Henry  J.,  88,  139,  144, 
345,  348. 

Carrels,  6,  61,  107,  286. 

Carrere  and  Hastings,  367. 

Carriers,  mechanical,  62,  118, 
230,  375. 

Catalog  cases,  64,  244,  350,  377. 

Cataloguing  rooms,  246,  376. 

Ceilings,  183. 

Cellars,  40,  182,  328. 

Central  spaces,  224. 

Century  Dictionary,  29. 

Chairs,  346. 

Champneys,  A.  L.,  cited,  13,  22, 
27,  85,  86,  92,  95,  103,  113, 
114,  115,  153,  157,  173, 175, 
186,  189,  193,  208,  210,  228, 
239,  249,  253,  260,  275,  284, 
291,  300,  304,  314,  317,  319, 
320,  332,  333,  334,  337,  339, 
341,  344,  345. 

Change,  provision  for,  166. 

Chicago  World's  Fair,  118. 

Children's  room,  318,  377. 

Christiania  Fjord,  23. 


INDEX 


395 


Christ's  Hospital,  London,  8. 

Cincinnati  Public  Library,  71. 

Circular  stairs,  177. 

Cistercians,  7. 

City  Club,  Chicago,  207. 

Clairvaux,  8. 

Clark,  George  T.,  cited,  220. 

Clark,  John  Willis,  cited,  3,  4,  6, 

8,  9,  10,  115,  194,  273,  286, 

295. 

Class  rooms,  270,  324,  333. 
Classes  of  libraries,  37,  47. 
Classical  style,  117,  118. 
Claude  &  Starck,  30. 
Clay's  School   Buildings,   cited, 

319. 

Cleaning,  217,  252. 
Cleanliness,  217. 
Clerestories,  200. 
Clocks,  354. 
Closets,  226,  377. 
Club  libraries,  47. 
Coat  rooms,  257. 
Cole,  George  Watson,  256. 
College  libraries,  61. 
Color,  115,203,293. 
Columbia  University,  177. 
Columns,  109. 
Comfort  rooms,  257. 
Competition,  New  York,  359. 
Competitions,  architectural,  86, 

90,  154. 

Competitions,  judges  of,  158. 
Concentric  cases,  274. 
Concourse,  200. 
Concrete,  38,  42,  220. 
Concrete  examples  357. 
Conflicts,  32. 
Congress,  Library  of,   194,   195, 

197,  225,  226,  231,  247,  292, 

328,  330,  332,  336,  337. 
Congressional  Documents,  302. 
Contests,  34. 


Conversation  rooms,  338. 

Coolidge,  Charles  A.,  147,  206. 

Copying  blindly,  92. 

Cornell  University  Library,  345. 

Cornices,  109. 

Correlation  of  parts,  181. 

Cost,  102,  104. 

Cost  of  running,  85. 

Cotgreave,  Alfred,  cited,  95. 

Courtyards,  224. 

Coutts,  H.  T.,  254. 

Cravath    and    Lansingh,    cited, 

203. 

Crerar  Library,  Chicago,  205. 
Crunden,    Frederick    M.,   cited, 

126. 

Cubic  contents,  103. 
Cubicles,  285. 
Curtains,  194. 
Cutter,  Charles  A.,  92,  189,  285, 

325. 
Cutting  down  cost,  104. 

Dampness,  8. 

Dana,  John  C.,  cited,  17,  65,  98, 

99,  107,  269,  271,  319,  327. 
Dark  Ages,  77. 
Dark  places,  226. 
Dark  stacks,  295. 
Darlington,  Wis.,  P.  L.,  30. 
Decoration,  114. 
Delassert,  11. 
Delivery  desk,  248,  348. 
Delivery  room,  248,  225,  378. 
Delivery  station  room,  378. 
Department  libraries,  60,  61. 
Departments,  233. 

heads  of,  240. 
Development,  10. 
Dewey,  Melvil,  58,  176,  193, 

263,  265,  266,  268,  307,  325. 
Dial,  Chicago,  28. 
Diffused  light,  115. 


396 


INDEX 


Domes  75,  109,  187. 

Donors,  130. 

Don't  build  too  soon,  99. 

Don't  put  off  too  long,  100. 

Doors,  173,  174. 

Doyle, ,254. 

Drains,  215. 

Dry-rot  deadening,  121. 

Duff-Brown,  James,  cited,  10, 11, 
27,85,91,95,103,  113,  137, 
139, 141,  143,  157,  175,  239, 
250,  253,  256,  260,  274,  300, 
309,  314,  315,  319,  320,  321, 
323,  324,  331,  332,  334,  337, 
341,  344,  345,  348,  354. 

Duplicates,  328. 

Durham,  6,  288. 

Dust,  217,  219,  379. 

Eastman,  Wm.  R.,  cited,  36,  38, 

43,   84,  85,  93,  95,  96,  97, 

112,  149,  155,  184,  209,  258, 

265,  274,  344,  345. 
Economy  of  expert  advice,  87. 
Economy  paramount,  83. 
Education,  332. 
Educational  libraries,  60. 
Edwards,  Edward,  cited,  13,  130, 

345. 
Electric  light,  202. 

fixtures,  207. 

switches,  203. 

systems,  203. 

Elevators,  220,  228,  291,  379. 
Eliot,  President,  171. 
Elmendorf,  Theresa  West,  142, 

155. 
Encyclopeedia    Britannica,   llth 

ed.,  cited,  22. 
Endowed  libraries,  65. 
Enemies  of  books,  219. 
Engineer,  379. 
England,  77. 


Enlargements,  73. 

Entrances,  172. 

Epilogue,  404. 

Episcopal     Theological     School, 

Cambridge,  Mass.,  170,  287. 
Equipment,  341. 
Escorial,  8,  10. 
Evolution  of  library  buildings,  3, 

90. 

Exceptional  cases,  71. 
Executive  offices,  369,  379. 
Exhibitions,  334,  364,  380. 
Expert  advice,  87. 
Experts,  359. 
Experts'  fees,  86. 
Exterior  growth,  169. 
Extras,  162. 
Extravagances,  86. 

Faults  to  be  looked  for,  109. 

Faunce,  Dr.  W.  H.  P.,  147. 

Features,  163. 

Fees,  architects',  144,  145,  161. 

Fees,  library  advisers',  145. 

File  your  plans,  171,  216,  359. 

Fire,  219. 

Fire  buckets,  221. 

Fireplaces,  209. 

Fireproof  vaults,  223,  390. 

Firmitas,  20. 

Firmitas,  Utilitas,  Venustas, 
Title,  19. 

Fittings,  354. 

Fixtures,  electric,  207. 

Fletcher,  Wm.  I.,  cited,  10,  27, 
65,  66,  85,  88,  91,  130,  141, 
169,  181,  189,  194,  263,  273, 
278,  281,  285,  337,  344. 

Floor  arrangements,  370. 
cases,  273. 
coverings,  185. 

Floors,  185,  361,  380. 

Folding  press,  300. 


INDEX 


397 


Folios,  267. 

Forecasting  the  years,  16. 

Foster,  Wm.   E.,  88,   154,   190, 

278,  311,  346. 
Fourth  floor,  372. 
France,  National  Library  of,  11. 
Frankness  among  librarians,  110. 
Free  advice,  137. 
Freetown,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 
Fresh  air,  108. 
Front  door,  173. 
Furniture,  341. 

Galleries,  189. 

Garage,  381. 

Garnett,  Dr.  Richard,  cited,  3,40, 

170,  232,  299,  300,  301,  330. 
Gas,  201,  219. 
Genealogical  libraries,  59. 
Gentleman's  Magazine,  301. 
Gladstone,  Wm.  E.,  47,  301. 
Glare,  194,  201. 
Glass,  198,  221. 

ribbed,  294. 
Glasgow  (Scot.),  98. 
Gloucester  Cathedral,  288. 
Good  advice,  139. 
Government  libraries,  56. 
Grades  of  libraries,  36. 
Grandeur,  22. 
Grant's  tomb,  150. 
Grecian  style,  118. 
Green,  Bernard    R.,    139,    147, 

193,  197,  230,  279,  297,  330. 
Green,  Edward  B.,   25,  97,    134, 

156. 

Ground  floor,  371. 
Growth,  limitations  on,  170. 

provision  for,  169. 

Half-hour  reading,  313. 
Hallam, ,  141. 


Halls,  175. 

Hamburg,  23. 

Hamlin,  Prof.  A.  D.  F.,  34,  84, 

367. 

Handrails,  177,  319. 
Hansard's  Debates,  301. 
Hare,  H.  T.,  269,  309. 
Harvard  College,  23,  126. 
Harvard  Law  School,  285. 
Harvard  Univ.  Lib.,  12,21,280, 

281,  285,  290,  301,  303. 
Head  room,  266,  307. 
Health,  192. 
Heat,  108,  219,  360. 
Heating,  209,  296,  381. 
Historical  libraries,  56,  58. 
History,  ancient,  4. 

dawn  of,  3. 

mediaeval,  6. 

modern,  10. 
Hodges,  N.  D.  C.,  217. 
Hot  water  heating,  211. 

Ideal  in  planning,  79. 

Illumination,  N.  Y.,  201,  208, 
382. 

Indirect  lighting,  204. 

Information  Room,  249, 338,  381. 

Institution,  The,  133. 

Institutional  libraries,  49,  50. 

Interchange  department,  381. 

Interior  growth,  169. 

International  Library  Confer- 
ence, cited,  39,  316. 

Introduction,  1. 

Ireland,  7. 

Irrepressible  conflict,  25. 

Isadore,  Bishop  of  Seville,  115. 

Jackson,  Annie  B.,  73. 

James,  Hannah  P.,  313. 

Janitor,  251,  381. 

Jenner,  Henry,  300. 

Jevons,  Stanley,  quoted,  126. 


398 


INDEX 


John  Crerar  L.,  Chicago,  205. 
John  Hay  Library,  Brown  Univ., 

105,  156,  205,  246,  287. 
Jones,  Gardner  M.,  290. 
Judges    of    Competitions,     158, 

359. 
Judgment  of  the  public,  127. 

Keene  Valley,  N.  Y.,  P.  L.,  209. 
King's  College,  Cambridge,  12. 
Koch,  Theodore  W.,  cited,   16, 

43,  95,  283,  287,  308. 
Koopman,  H.  L.,  205. 

Lamm,  E.  N.,  155. 

Lane,  Win.  C.(  301,  302,  303. 

Lane  and  Bolton,  337. 

Lavatory,  258. 

Law  libraries,  54,  58. 

Lectures,  333. 

Ledges,  263,  291. 

Leeds  (Eng.)  P.  L.,  98. 

Leipsic,  23. 

Leopoldo  della  Santa,  11. 

Leyden,  University  of,  10,  273, 
280. 

Librarian, The  (magazine),  cited, 
92,  95,  185,  212,  300,  301. 

Librarian's  room,  239,  371,  379. 

Library,  The  (magazine),  cited, 
231,  301. 

Library  Adviser,  143,  152. 

Library  Architect,  42. 

Library  Assistant,  The  (maga- 
zine), cited,  104,  315,  316, 
332. 

Library  Association  of  the  United 
Kingdom,  299. 

Library  Association  Record, 
cited,  67,  93,  144,  167,  189, 
192,  198,  221,  253,  254,  256, 
261,  269,  301,  309,  317,  320, 
323,  325,  330. 


Library  Bureau,  96,  139,  342. 

Library  Chronicle,  cited,  300. 

Library  Journal,  N.  Y.,  cited, 
14,  15,  21,  28,  34,  39,  57, 
58,  61,  63,  67,  69,  74,  84, 
85,  88,  89,  93,  97,  99,  105, 
112,  134,  139,  141,  142,  144, 
147,  148,  154,  155,  156,  161, 
176,  189,  193,  197,  200,  203, 
235,  256,  265,  274,  278,  279, 
280,  292,  297,  307,  310,  313, 
319,  325,  332,  337,  344,  345, 
348. 

Library  of  Congress  —  see  Con- 
gress. 

Library  Notes  (magazine),  cited, 
99,  192,  263,  265,  268,  299, 
301. 

Library  science,  17,  27. 

Library  World,  cited,  254. 

Life  of  a  library  building,  97. 

Lifts,  220,  228,  291  379. 

Light,  108,  109,  191,  201,  249, 

308,  359,  382. 
artificial,  201,  382. 
natural,  193. 
reflected,  115,  203. 

Light-reading  room,  305,  313. 

Lighting,  indirect,  204. 

Lightning,  221. 

Little,  George  T.,  75,  301,  302, 
303. 

Local  history,  237. 

Local  librarian  as  expert,  141, 
152. 

Local  literature,  323. 

Lockers,  382. 

Lunch  rooms,  257,  387. 

Lymburn,  James,  300,  304. 

Magazines,  313,  314,  383. 

Magnusson,  11. 
Main  floor,  371. 


INDEX 


399 


Manchester  (Eng.)  P.  L.,  98. 

Manuscripts,  382. 

Maps,  331,  382. 

Marble,  23. 

Marks,  L.  B.,  208. 

Martson's  Mills,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 

Marvin,     Cornelia,     cited,     30, 

36,    38,    42,    43,    89,    95, 

96,  97,  103,  105,  116,  147, 

148,  155,  169,  179,  180,  186, 

194,  248,  254,  258,  259,  265, 

266,  269,  271,  285,  334,  339, 

342,  345,  353. 
Massachusetts   Report  of    1899, 

cited,  40,  41,  95,  130. 
Massachusetts     State     Library, 

289,  336. 
Material,  23,  61,  117,  177,  220, 

360. 
Matthews,  E.  R.  N.,  251,  253, 

255. 
Mauran,  John  L.,  89,  141,  155, 

161. 

Mayhew,  H.  M.,  301. 
Mazarin,  Cardinal,  9. 
Mechanical  carriers,  62,  118, 

230,  375. 

Mechanical  service,  370. 
Mediaeval  history,  6. 
Medical  libraries,  52. 
Mendon,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 
Mercantile  libraries,  49,  71. 
Merton  College  L.,  Oxford,  7. 
Mezzanine  floors,  181,  372. 
Mice,  219. 

Middle  of  blocks,  87. 
Minimum  buildings,  52. 
Model  of  plan,  162. 
Moderate  and  medium  libraries, 

44. 

Modern  history,  21. 
Monasteries,  6,  9. 
Mt.  Holyoke  College  L.,  190. 


Museums,  72. 
Music,  331,  382. 

Neglect,  219. 

Never  copy  blindly,  92. 

Newark  P.  L.,  176. 

Newberry  Library,  Chicago,  11, 

278,  307. 
New  York  branch  libraries,  69, 

71,  208,  317. 
New  York  P.  L.,  174,  177,  212, 

256,  295,  306,  359. 
Newspapers,  316,  383. 

bound,  336. 
Nineteenth  Century  (magazine), 

cited,  47,  301. 

North  Adams,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  73. 
North   Carolina   University    L., 

12. 
North  Scituate,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 

Oil  lights,  201. 
Olmsted,  F.  L.,  Jr.,  367. 
Order  of  work,  159. 
Ornament,  109,  114,  128. 
Otis,  W.  A.,  93,  117,  149. 
Our  own  era,  13. 

Packing  room,  251,  383. 
Pamphlets,  335. 
Panelled  ceilings,  183. 
Parliament,  Library  of,  Ottawa, 

276. 

Partitions,  183. 
Passages,  175. 

Patent  Office  Gazette,  302,  303. 
Patent  Office  Library,  London, 

300. 

Patents,  326,  383. 
Patton,  N.  S.,  cited,  25,  63,  80, 

139. 

Periodicals,  313,  314,  335,  383. 
Perkins,  F.  B.,  305. 


400 


INDEX 


Personnel,  123. 
Philadelphia  P.  L.,  67. 
Photographic    room,    330,    365, 

372,  384. 

Photographs,  330,  374. 
Pilgrims,  11. 
Pisistratus,  4. 
Pite,  Beresford,  24,  114. 
Pivot-press,  300. 
Place  among  buildings,  128. 
Plan  inside  first,  90. 
Plans,  American,  95,  96. 

English,  95,  96. 

examining,  94. 

filing,  171,  216,  359. 
Plumbing,  215. 
Plummer,  Mary  W.,  137. 
Pneumatic  tubes,  384. 
Points  of  agreement,  13,15,16,90. 
Poole,  Dr.  Wm.  F.,  11,  65,  80, 

92,  99,  138,  143,  268,  314, 

316,  322,  337, 
Poole's  Index,  336. 
Poole  plan,  11, 278,  304, 307, 322. 
Popular  Science  Monthly,  cited, 

63. 

Porticoes,  109,  172. 
Portland,  Ore.,  P.  L.,  254. 
Present,  The,  16. 
Princeton  University,  L.,  276. 
Principles  of  planning,  77,  79. 
Printing,  253,  254,  384. 
Prints,  329,  330. 
Prismatic  glass,  194. 
Privacy,  189,307. 
Private  libraries,  47. 
Problem  always  new,  89. 
Proctor,  Prof.,  192. 
Professional  libraries,  51. 
Proprietary  libraries,  49. 
Protection  from  enemies,  219. 
Providence  P.  L.,  190,  249,  278, 

338,  346. 


Provincetown,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 

Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  4. 

Public,  The,  125. 

Public  Documents,  57,  327,  384. 

Public  judgment,  140. 

Public  libraries,  65. 

Public  Libraries  (magazine) 
cited,  25,  39,  40,  63,  65,  80, 
89,  93,  97,  99, 134, 143, 149, 
155,  156, 180, 181,  189,  220, 
248,  254,  256,  257,  269,  283, 
295,  307, 332. 

Public  Libraries  1876,  cited,  80, 
88,  138,  182,  236,  247,  251, 
256,  264,  268,  280,  285,  310, 
313,  314,  316,  319,  324,  326, 
337,  342. 

Public  photographing,  room,  330, 
365,  372,  384. 

Public  waiting  rooms,  242. 

Puget  Sound,  23. 

Quartos,  267. 

Queen's  College  L.,  Cambridge 
(Eng.),  295 

Quiet,  307. 

Radcliffe  Library,  Oxford,  11. 
Radial  cases,  274. 
Radiators,  211,384. 
Ranck,  S.  H.,  39,  308. 
Rare  books,  272,  302,  385. 
Reading,  light,  313. 

serious,  306,  363. 
Reading-room,  62,  305,  362. 
Reading-rooms,  central,  225. 

shelves  in,  271. 

Redwood  Library,  Newport,  11. 
Reference  room,  310,  385. 
Reformation,  9. 
Registration,  385. 
Reinick,  Wm.  R.,  222. 
Report  of  Oculists,  etc.,  115,  205, 

207. 


INDEX 


401 


Rest  rooms,  257. 
Restaurant,  372,384. 
Revolving  bookcases,  310. 
Revolving  doors,  173. 
Richardson,  E.  C.,  310. 
Richardson,  Henry  H.,  14. 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Law  Lib.,  275. 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  P.  L.,  88. 
Rolling  cases,  299. 
Roof,  109,  187,  220,  386. 
Rooms,  179,  233,  362. 
Rooms,  alphabetical  list  of,  373. 

public,  362,  368. 

work,  369. 

Safes,  fireproof,  223. 

Saint  Charles  College,  La.,  222. 

Sainte   Genevieve  Bibliotheque, 

15,  92. 
Saint  John's  College,  Cambridge 

(Eng.),9. 
Saint  Louis  Public  Library,  71, 

185,  206,  260,  325,  333. 
Salem,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  74,  200,  287. 
Sanitary  facilities,  259. 
School  libraries,  60. 
Schoolhouse,  31. 
Schuyler,  Montgomery,  118. 
Science,  326. 
Scientific  libraries,  51. 
Scituate,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 
Second  floor,  372. 
Selecting  an  architect,  146. 
Seminar  rooms,  60,  62,  63. 
Serial  sets,  335,  383. 
Serious  reading  room,  306. 
Service,  112. 
Sewers,  215. 
Shelf  capacity,  277,  311. 

bases,  263. 

ledges,  265. 
Shelves  in  reading  rooms,  269. 


Shelving,  fixed  or  movable,  263. 

generally,  262. 

high  or  low,  266. 

wall,  271. 

wood   or  metal,  264,  282. 
Site,  128,  163. 
Size,  102,  104. 
Sizes  of  books,  267. 
Skylights,  199. 
Sliding  cases,  75,  299. 
Small  library  buildings,   38,  42, 

59. 
Social   law  library,   Boston,   54, 

55. 

Sorbonne,  Library  of,  194. 
Southwick,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 
Space,  309. 

Special  collections,  337. 
Special  libraries,  52. 
Special  rooms,  322. 
Specialists,  208. 
Spirit  of  planning,  79. 
Springfield,    Mass.,    P.    L.,  157, 

185,  275. 

Stack,  14,  45,  46,  61,   161,  222, 
225. 

aisles,  289. 

broken  floors,  289. 

capacity,  298. 

carrels,  286. 

dark,  288. 

details,  288. 

lighting,  292. 

location,  283. 

open  access,  286. 

shell,  283. 

shelves,  292. 

stairs,  176,  290. 

towers,  297. 

use  by  readers,  284. 

windows,  294. 
Stacks  generally,  280,  361,  370, 

386. 


402 


INDEX 


Stacks  underground,  296. 

Staff  quarters,  241,  243,  387. 

Stair  landings,  177. 
treads,  176. 

Stairs,  109,  176,  290,  388. 
winding,  177,  246,  298. 

Standard  Library,  190,  311,  388. 

Standpipes,  221. 

Stanley, ,  61,  105. 

State  libraries,  56. 

State  library  commissions,  137. 

Steam  heat,  211. 

Steel  construction,  18,  29,  45. 

Stenographer's  rooms,  243,  388. 

Steps,  outside,  172. 

Stetson,  W.  K.,  176,  235. 

Storerooms,  227,  388. 

Stories,  109,  179. 

Storm  doors,  174. 

Stoves,  207. 

Straight,  Maude  W.,  254. 

Study  of  libraries,  94. 

Study  rooms,  69,  270,  324,  363, 
388. 

Sturgis,  Dictionary  of  Architec- 
ture, cited,  39,  44,  117,  118, 
154,  198,  199,  283,  293. 

Suburban  libraries,  70. 

Superintendents,  389. 

Supervision,  113. 

Supplies,  389. 

Sutton,  Charles  W.,  quoted,  67, 
256. 

Tables,  344. 

Tact,  81. 

Taj  Mahal,  132. 

Talk,  339. 

Taps  for  cleaning,  218. 

Taste,  81. 

Telautograph,  232. 

Telephones,  62,  232,  389. 

Temperature,  212. 


Templeton,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 

Third  floor,  372. 

Theological  libraries,  52. 

Thermometers,  212,  354. 

Thoroughness,  81. 

Thrift,  81. 

Thwaites,  Dr.  Reuben  G.,  297. 

Time  to  build,  99. 

Todd,  David  P.,  141. 

Toilet  rooms,  259,  390. 

Top  floors,  71,  180,  320. 

Traveling  libraries,  256,  390. 

Trinity   College   L.,   Cambridge 

(Eng.),  9. 
Trinity   College  L.,  Dublin,  10, 

300. 
Trustees,  134. 

election  of,  126. 

room,  237. 
Tubes,  Speaking,  etc.,  62,  232, 

384. 
Tunnels,  231. 

Umbrellas,  345. 

Unassigned  rooms,  339. 

Underdraining,  215. 

U.  S.  Educational  Report  (1892- 

1893),  256. 

U.  S.  Government  libraries,  56. 
U.  S.  Navy  Dept.  library,  24. 
U.  S.  Public  Libraries — see  P.  L., 

1876. 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court  building, 

56. 

University  libraries,  60,  75. 
Unusual  sizes  of  books,  267. 
Use,  Utilitas,  21,  27. 
Useful  arts,  326. 
Utilizing  every  inch,  82. 
Utley,  H.  M.,  39. 

Van  Name,  Addison,  168. 
Vatican  library,  5,  47. 


INDEX 


403 


Vaults,  223,  390. 

Vehicles,  260. 

Ventilation,   108,  197,  209,  296, 

308,  390. 

by  window-bar,  210. 
Venustas,  22. 
Vermin,  219. 
Very  large  buildings,  45. 
Vestibules,  173. 
Visits  to  libraries,  94. 
Vitruvius,  19,  20. 

Waiting  rooms,  public,  242. 
Wall  shelving,  271. 
Walls,  183. 

Ware  and  Van  Brunt,  280. 
Warehouse  for  work,  253,  254. 
Wash-bowls,  218. 
Washington,  George,  quoted, 125. 
Waste  of  space,  109. 
Water,  219,  221.  390, 
Webster's  Dictionary,  288. 
Wellman,  Killer  C.,  275. 
Westbury,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 
West  Tisbury,  Mass.,  P.  L.,  41. 
What  conflict  is  possible?  32. 
What  contest  is  likely?  34. 
Where  does  the  library  come  in? 

31. 
Where  lies  the  blame?  35. 


Which  should  prevail?  152. 
Whitney,  James  L.,  193. 
Whittington,  Sir  Richard,  8. 

Widman, ,  222. 

Wilson,  R.  E.,  256. 
Winding  stairs,  177. 
Window  bar  ventilation,  210. 
Windows,  109,  196,  390. 

false,  295. 

true,  294. 

Windsor,  P.  L.,  332. 
Winsor,  Justin,  80,  92,  120,  247, 

251,  256,  280,  313,  324,  326, 

337. 
Wisconsin     Historical     Society, 

59,  325. 

Wise  election  of  Trustees,  126. 
Wolfenbuttel  Library,  11. 
Women's  rooms,  320. 
Wood  as  fuel,  209. 

for  building,  23. 
Woodbine,  H.,  261,  301. 
Workshops,  31. 
Wraps,  257. 

Wren,  Sir  Christopher,  9. 
Writing  room,  391. 

Y.  M.  C.  A.  libraries,  50. 
Zutphen  (Holland),  8. 


Epilogue 


The  outline  sketched  in  this  volume  should 
suggest,  even  to  skimmers, — 

That  the  business  of  planning  a  library  is 
specific,  technical  and  minute; — 

That  it  is  like  the  planning  of  other  useful 
structures  which  can  be  spoiled  by  blunders  of 
ignorance,  or  by  sins  done  in  the  name  of  art;— 

That  it  is  folly  to  leave  such  serious  work  to 
tyros  or  dabblers, — even  to  architects  who  are 
amateur  librarians ; — 

That  a  committee  can  direct,  an  architect 
can  construct,  but  only  a  wise  and  mature 
librarian  can  plan  a  library  where  the  staff  can 
work,  and  where  the  readers  can  see,  think  and 
breathe. 


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